The Other
by sam.the.amateur
Summary: Post-BD. Renesmee's full grown and feels nothing for Jacob. Does that mean she has to be alone forever? A stranger arrives in her life who could change everything, but once her family disappears, can she piece it together before it's too late for them?
1. Chapter 1

All characters belong Stephenie Meyer and so does a vast majority of the plot. I'm just going to take it and run with it for a while 

-Chapter 1-

I grimaced and tried to tune back in to the conversation. The girl to the left of me was rambling once again about a subject I found most distasteful: how gorgeous and sexy my father was. Given that he was immortally and eternally trapped in a 17 year old's body and went to the same high school I did, I supposed it shouldn't surprise me that my friends were talking about him. They usually always did. I glanced across the cafeteria towards my father and mother, watching how his eyes looked up to meet mine. Traces of my own irritation were mirrored there, mixed with amusement at my reaction. Mom looked up, a small frown appeared upon her beautiful face as she watched our silent exchange. She was used to other girls talking about her husband that way, but that didn't mean she had to like it. I grinned ruefully before once again turning my eyes to the group of girls clustered around the table. The speaker was a short red haired girl who looked like she was on the verge of passing out as she glanced again in Dad's direction. I rolled my eyes at her words.

"Edward is just so… yummy!" she gushed, her face delightfully flushed. I gulped and looked away from the red creeping through her cheeks. As a half-vampire, I could resist human blood much easier than my parents and other relatives, but that wasn't to say I was immune to the smell, the fresh sweet- _dammit_, I reprimanded myself, shaking my head slightly, trying to rid myself of the burning desire that swept through me.

"Oh, I know he's your cousin Nessie, but still, even _you_ have to appreciate that face!" another of the girls spoke at me.

"Uh sure, I guess," I muttered, trying to get them to drop the subject with my eyes. I met the glance of one of the boys sitting at our table and grinned at the eye roll he threw in my direction. My male friends were definitely sick of talking about Edward Masen.

"Oh, if he took me to prom I would just _die_!" the red haired girl spoke, flashing a quick glance at me out of the corner of her eyes.

"Sasha, I know what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work. I'm _not_ asking Edward to go to prom with you," I stated firmly, finally putting my foot down. Sasha had been hinting for the past month now, in what she hoped was a subtle way, that as a good friend, I should try to hook her up with my 'cousin'. Edward, my father, along with my mother, Bella, posed as my cousins here at Lytton High school. My aunts and uncles formed their own separate family and sat a few tables away from my parents, their cold faces watched with traces of amusement that would be invisible to humans. This interruption to the monotony of their repetitive high school life was prime time entertainment; watching me squirm was such a delight. "_Please_?" Sasha begged, leaning over to me and wrapping her arms around me. I gasped almost silently as her throat unexpectedly came so close to me and had to clamp my jaw shut tightly as it reflexively opened a fraction. I sensed the vampires in the room react, moving from their stoic positions on the fringes of the cafeteria simultaneously. Uncle Jasper was on his feet and standing by aunt Alice's side in less than a second, aunt Rosalie and uncle Emmett had crossed the room too fast for human eyes to follow and were standing on the other side of the table to me. Alice's eyes were slightly unfocused and Jasper's arm hovered protectively around her shoulder. All of that was sideline knowledge to me as I struggled with my sudden thirst. Sasha's arms closed around my small frame and her throat touched the side of my face. Unwillingly, my eyes were drawn to the faint bluish shapes I could see through her skin. The vampire half of me was not yet entirely tamed and sometimes, when people got too close… My mouth watered with hunger and my arms wrapped around the girl. I wasn't returning her embrace, however, I was reaching to hold her in position while I fed.

Before I could even open my mouth, strong arms clamped on my shoulders and pulled me away, snapping me out of my trance. I whirled too quickly for human company and saw my father looking down at me, his eyes ordering me to stop, pleading with me to snap out of it. I froze, stopped breathing and let him put an arm around my shoulder. To the humans watching, it looked comfortable and friendly, but in reality, he was using a lot of strength to hold me there while I regained my control.

_Edward, I've got it_, I thought furiously, knowing he would hear it. Everyone in my family called each other by their first names as no one was actually related by blood, except for me.

"Hey Ness, how's everything going over here?" he asked in a friendly voice, directing his winning smile towards my table of friends. Sasha could only gape and smile stupidly and the other girls followed suit in a similar fashion. The boys at the table smiled uneasily in return and looked away quickly. The Masens were strange and usually kept to themselves, with the exception of myself, so for Edward to be coming over here and making small talk was a strange incident.

"How about you come finish your lunch with Bella and I? I haven't seen you in a while," Edward offered, squeezing my shoulder. I nodded and grimaced, picking up my lunch tray and following him back across the crowded room. I made eye contact with aunt Rosalie; she looked concerned. Unlike uncle Emmett, whose face was lit up in a grin. Trust Emmett to find humour in my close call. As I took a seat beside my Mom, I felt myself blush, an extremely rare occurrence for me, something to do with my half and half genes.

"Before you say anything Edward, I'm sorry. I know, I know, I can't just lose control like that."

"You're right, you can't. Maybe you should hunt tonight," he spoke the words so low that any passing human wouldn't be able to hear.

"No, I'm fine. Human food is fine," I argued, stubbornly not admitting weakness. If the full vampires of my family could manage to abstain from blood, then surely I, a part human, could manage to survive without it.

"Renesmee…" Edward trailed off, his brow furrowing anxiously.

"Edward," Bella interjected, her tone gentle. He looked up to meet her gaze and something in him changed.

"Sweetheart, your father and I have been wondering… Maybe we enrolled you in high school too soon," she trailed off uncertainly.

"No!" I declared, my voice defiant but still low enough that only other vampires would be able to hear it. "I'm fine. Today I messed up. I won't let it happen again," I promised darkly, clenching my fist.

"Honey, you're only just full grown. We know that, intellectually, you're just as advanced as an adult, but you're body, well, you're still new at this. I don't want you biting off more than you can chew," he said. I heard Emmett guffaw loudly somewhere across the room at the pun.

"Dad. I'm fine, honestly. Quit babying me you guys. I have to get this right some time, and hey, practise makes perfect right?" I got to my feet, smiling brilliantly but knowing the conversation was far from over. I would have to face another lecture when I got home. _The Volturi this, the Volturi that… _Blah, blah, blah. I knew how important it was that I stay in control, that I keep the secret, but sometimes, I just didn't care.

***

The rest of the day passed slowly and miserably for me, the feeling of shame hanging over me like the dark clouds outside. The weather in Lytton was always gloomy but some days I couldn't help but think that it was setting the backdrop for my moods. By the time my final class, Math, came around, I was feeling downright depressed. I followed my friends Jackson and Kate into the room, thinking that I wanted nothing more than to ditch and go call Jacob. Even though he lived in La Push, we still talked every day. Sometimes, when the urge hit me, I would run there to see him, though he nearly always met me halfway as he sensed me coming. I sighed as I took my seat and began to open my books, thinking how much I missed him. He was my best friend and even though I knew he was the only one left to be Alpha, it still stung that he'd had to choose the pack over me. Couldn't Leah Clearwater have done it? She was constantly bragging about how good a wolf she was, so why not? I thought back to the afternoon Jake had told me he had to leave.

"_Nessie… There's something I gotta' tell you."_

"_Mmmm?" I looked up from the floor, distracted._

"_Well, you know how Sam was hit by that car a few weeks back?" he continued, his voice wary._

"_Yes?" I replied, my tone sympathetic; I knew what a sore sport his death was to my friend._

"_He was the alpha. The pack needs an alpha, Ness, and… well, I'm it." No. No, no, _no_! He couldn't leave me, he was _my _Jacob. _

"_What about me? We're imprinted together, you can't just leave me," I argued, scrambling up from the floor to sit in his lap. _

"_I don't want to leave you, believe me I don't, but the pack needs me."_

"I_ need you," I begged him, resting my head against his shoulder. He wrapped a comforting arm around me and rocked us slowly. "Please don't go. I'm starting high school next month, how am I supposed to do it without my best friend around?" I persisted._

"_You're strong. You're strong enough to do it, I believe in you," he said. I couldn't help the snort that came from me as I quoted him._

"'_I believe in you?' Really Jake?" I laughed. He grinned and mussed my hair before turning serious again._

"_It's not like we'll never see each other again. Since the Cullens left Forks there haven't been any other vampires, so pretty soon we can stop patrolling. Maybe I can stop phasing soon after that, and then I can come back to you." I nodded slowly, accepting his words, even as I felt the tears run down my face. I kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "My Jacob. Always mine."_

"Renesmee Mason!" a loud voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see the angry red face of Mr Trethewey as he demanded an answer from me. I glanced at the board, taking in the complicated equation. My vampiric half also made me smart, so I was able to blurt out the answer quickly.

"38."

"No-" he paused and looked down at his paper, then at the board. "Very well then," he finished, flushing somehow redder still and stalking back to the front of the room. I sighed and caught Jackson's eye as he suppressed a laugh two seats away. Mr Trethewey knew I was smarter than him so he took every chance he could to pick on me and try to catch me out. Thinking that Emmett would get a laugh out of it, I telepathically directed my thoughts towards his mind. When I located the familiar brain pattern, I played out my thoughts for him, knowing he shared my distaste for the maths teacher. If I strained my ears I could almost hear him laughing down the corridor. I could also hear the subsequent apology to the teacher and that nearly made me laugh out loud.

_Nice one Emmett_, I thought towards him, grinning as I returned my attention to my workbook. I'd never get out of my junior year if I didn't at least give the illusion that I was studying.

By the time school was let out and I was meeting my parents by the silver Volvo, I had almost forgotten the events in the cafeteria. Edward approached the car with a smile and I could tell that he had been monitoring my afternoon classes and had seen my little run in with the teacher. Bella looked slightly confused so I pushed my thoughts towards her mind. I replayed the event for her and she cracked a grin when it was finished. "Good work," she complimented me as we slid into the backseat and Edward took the wheel. The drive home would take a human about half an hour, but the way my father drove shortened the trip by twenty minutes. If we were a normal family, then this would be the part where we talked about our day, but we weren't normal. We all knew that nothing remarkable had happened today, except for the cafeteria incident. I sighed, knowing a lecture would be waiting for me at home. When we drew up to the driveway, Edward shocked me by turning left rather than right. Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, Jasper and my 'grandparents', Carlisle and Esme, lived across the road from us. Of course, both of the houses had long winding driveways so we were hardly neighbours. We just barely beat the others home from school, pulling into the spot in front of the house just before them. The Cullen house was beautiful, as I'd been told they always are. As I'd only been in the family for 7 years, I had only experienced the beautiful white Forks house. After we'd stayed as long as we could in the small town, we'd taken off to travel, bringing Jacob with us. Once I'd reached my full growth, we'd finally settled down again in the community of Lytton. The house was large and modern with overlapping pieces of maple wood covering the exterior, reminding me of a large, beautiful bird house.

Emmett, grinning, met me at the door and lightly punched me on the shoulder by way of greeting. He might've thought it was light but it still hurt and I knew I would probably bruise. I hit him back with all of my strength and when he just laughed and kept walking I scowled at his broad back, irked that everyone was so much stronger and faster than me. Esme was waiting just inside the door for me and pulled me into her cold arms in a hug before I could resist. I indulged her as I always did by returning the hug.

"Hey Gran," I greeted her with a wink. She and my grandfather were both about 27 in appearance and barely looked old enough to be parents, let alone grandparents.

"My little Nessie. How was your day?" she said, taking my arm and steering me over to the couch.

"The usual," I shrugged, deliberately ignoring the look Edward threw in my direction. Carlisle entered the room just then, walking over to the couch to sit beside me.

"Hey Grandad," I grinned at him. I loved teasing them.

"Watch it kid," he said in a mock serious tone as he ruffled my hair.

"So, Nessie, why don't you tell Carlisle what really happened today?" Edward prompted me, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, his expression atypically stern. Mom was talking with Alice over by the door but they both fell silent as they took in what was happening.

"Well, let's see… I had English and P.E and our team won the soccer match. Oh and in maths I showed up my teacher," I said, smiling at my dad with a super sweet expression.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen Masen, tell your grandfather what happened," Edward ordered. I groaned.

"My friend Sasha got a little close at lunch today and well, I couldn't help the way I reacted. I didn't kill anyone!" I grumbled as Carlisle's fond expression grew weary.

"Nessie… What's going wrong? I thought human food was sating your hunger adequately?" he asked.

"It was. It _is_. I just, I dunno, I messed up. Come on, you can't tell me you guys haven't done it once or twice?" I said, frustrated as I looked around the room for backup. I was surprised when it came in the form of uncle Jasper.

"Cut the kid a break, she's doing her best. I think she did remarkably well in the cafeteria. With a human throat that close, I don't know if any of us wouldn't have reacted the same," he said, coming to stand behind me and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"_Thank_ you Jasper. You see my point? I just need more time and practise to get better," I defended myself.

"But the Volturi-" Rosalie started to say.

"They haven't bothered us in years, Rose. Not since my birth," I reminded everyone pointedly.

"That's not the point. They would only need the smallest excuse to come after us again. The condition of their leaving was made quite apparent: you must be safe to be around humans," Carlisle spoke, his voice carrying the ring of authority and knowledge. I hated when he pulled that card, but because I knew he had a point, I kept my mouth shut.

"Nessie, we know how much you love being normal and going to school, but if you can't control yourself better, I'm afraid we're going to have to consider pulling you out," Edward spoke up from his side of the room.

"No!" I argued, angry that they wanted to take that away from me. "Come on Dad! I didn't kill anyone and you guys were there to back me up. It _won't _happen again, I promise," I swore, looking around and making eye contact with my family. Alice had that faraway look about her that told me she was scanning the future with her peculiar gift.

"She means it," Alice declared, her small frame dancing to my side to add her hand to my shoulder with her husband's. Carlisle sighed, seeming to realise he was being outvoted. I allowed myself a quick, smug smile before I got to my feet and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" My mother asked me, her eyes unreadable.

"I feel like going for a run. Maybe I'll go visit Jake."

"Oh no you will not, it's a school night and you need your sleep," Rosalie said, marching to my side. I scowled at her, irritated by her mothering tendencies. When I'd been growing up, I'd appreciated them, but now as a vampiric teenager, for lack of better term, they were beginning to get on my nerves.

"Fine, fine. I'll just go hunt or something," I grumbled as I left the house.

"Keep it in the border, okay?" Esme called after me.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," I called back as I kicked off my sneakers. When I ran, I preferred to feel the Earth beneath my bare feet and shoes usually didn't last against the terrain I ran against. I took off into the surrounding forest, letting my vampire side have free reign over me. In the forest it was almost as dark as night, but the lack of light was no trouble for my keen eyes, my extra senses.

I didn't know how far I ran for before I smelled it. Human, but not quite. Werewolf? I breathed in through my nose as I skidded to a stop. My nose wasn't as acute as a full vampire's, but I could still pick up far more than the average human. _Not werewolf either_, I realised, pressing my back against a tree.

There was somebody, some_thing_ just north of me, maybe a hundred yards away. Curiosity was my dominant emotion but I'd been taught better than to wander into possible trouble like that. Whoever they were, they weren't making much of an effort to keep silent, stomping through the undergrowth like a large animal. I didn't know what to do, so I stood and bit my lip as I considered. Whatever it- he or she?- was, was coming closer by the second. I should probably have turned away that second but curiosity kept me rooted to the spot. The thing had closed about half the distance between us before it stopped. I heard someone inhale and sensed them freeze. A strained second later and they began moving towards me again, but faster and much quieter now. I could barely pick up the sound their footsteps made, but they were definitely coming faster now. I leapt silently into the tree branches above me and waited for them to approach.

What I wasn't prepared for was the guy who entered the clearing I had stood in seconds before. He had unruly blonde hair that came down just above his ears and was wearing no shirt. He looked about seventeen years old and his body had impressive muscles. His jeans were black and ripped. He looked around, confused for a second before he spotted me in the branches. I gasped as I made eye contact with him and smelt something from him I'd never expected. He smelled like me. He was another half-vampire.

**Duh duh DUH! Okay, intro chapter was a little boring, but I promise there's some good stuff right around the corner. Rate and review?**


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Twilight, the characters or the plot. I'm just going to amuse myself with typing stuff out and hoping it entertains

-Chapter 2-

I gaped openly at him, taking in everything at once. He was beautiful, that much was blatantly obvious, but there were other things about him. Looking at his bare arm, I could see a large gash decorating his shoulder down to his forearm. The blood glistened red in the twilight. His expression was cautious as he looked up at me, and I could tell he didn't trust me one bit. His stance was guarded and he looked ready to run at any second.

"Who are you?" I managed to whisper from above, in my sanctuary in the trees. He flinched at my words and skittered back a few steps, almost involuntarily. The way he was acting, he seemed like he was almost afraid of me. Confused, but unable to sense any danger from him, I carefully leapt down from the branches. I landed with a muted thud on the ground and watched his posture grow more defensive as he took in my new position. A growl hummed in the back of his throat as I tried to take a step towards him. Instinctively, I bared my teeth at him. He was injured and I knew if it came to a fight I would win, and whilst that comforted me, I really hoped I wouldn't have to put my theory into practise. Males were nearly always stronger and I realised that if there was a fight, it would probably be a close one. With effort I was able to force a smile back on my face, fighting my reflexes. There was still ten feet between us, but he still seemed shaken by my proximity. "What are you doing here?" I asked when he ignored my first question.

"I don't know," he whispered and his eyes were wide with fear and suspicion. The look in his eyes was what made up my mind for me; he looked so helpless and lost. I was going to try and help him. I took a tentative step towards him and watched how he measured the distance between us with sharp, suspicious eyes. The growl picked up and came out from behind his teeth in a snarl.

"I won't hurt you. I want to help you," I spoke calmly and slowly, trying to reassure him. I paused in my advance for a few seconds to let him take in my peaceful demeanour. His silver grey eyes locked with mine and I saw something in them change. He nodded briefly and straightened up from his half crouch slightly. As I moved closer to him, I took in more details about his appearance. He was taller than I was by about half a foot or so and had a lean muscled frame. I tried to keep my eyes away from his bare chest, sensing that he might be embarrassed, but I couldn't help but be impressed by the few glances I caught. He relaxed some as I approached him and made no move to attack me, a good sign as far as I was concerned. Upon closer inspection his arm actually looked worse than it had from a distance and I caught my breath as I smelled the blood. I'd often wondered what a half-vampire would taste like, but the smell I caught from his open wound was far more appetizing than I had expected it to be and I struggled with my desire. The fragrance was far more appealing than human blood, but thankfully it carried enough vampire smell to deter me at that moment. I paused for a moment and let the scent wash over me, trying to gain control. He noticed what I was doing and took another uncertain step backwards. He thought I was going to eat him. Huh.

"I don't drink blood, you have nothing to be afraid of," I told him as truthfully as I could. At least I didn't _like _drinking blood.

"You survive on human food too?" he asked, understanding causing him to step closer to me again.

"Too? As in, you don't drink it either?" I clarified, impressed.

"Not since I was younger, but still…. It's hard sometimes," he said. _Finally_, I thought to myself. _Someone else who _get's _it!_ Chasing away my thoughts to get back on track was harder than I'd thought it would be. When I finally came to a stop in front of him, I hesitated a moment, wondering how exactly I was going to help him. His wound needed tending first of all, I realized, glancing around me to look for something to use as a bandage. I needed to get him to Carlisle quickly but I couldn't be sure how much blood he had lost or if he could run the whole way to the house. Taking in his fear again, I wasn't even sure if he _would_ run the whole way to the house. I grimaced, realising the only thing that would work as a bandage would be clothing and he didn't have any to spare. But I did. I gulped and reached for the bottom of my shirt, pulling it over my head in a swift motion. I felt myself blush as I began wrapping the purple fabric around his arm, tourniquet style. He coughed nervously and respectfully averted his gaze as I did my best to stop the bleeding. When I felt I had satisfactorily covered his wound, I turned to look at him again, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the situation. "I know a doctor who can help you. Will you come with me?" I asked. He hesitated for a moment before nodding in defeated acceptance.

"Can you run?" I asked him, my brow furrowing as I tried to recall how far away I'd run to get there.

"Probably not fast," he replied, glancing down at his foot. I noticed more marks around his ankle and they looked painful. His lower injuries weren't bleeding, thank God, but I could tell they were still causing him considerable pain.

"Okay, we'll just take it slow for now," I said, offering him my arm to help support him. He leaned on me, seeming grateful. It felt strange to be touching another person like me; the smooth skin and slightly hot temperature were unknown to me. We started walking back south at a brisk pace, fast enough that it would only take us an hour or so to get home, but still slow enough that a human could keep up if they wanted to. For the first few minutes we didn't speak to each other, both just seeming content to walk in silence, until he broke the silence.

"So what were you doing out here?" he asked, not looking at me as he spoke.

"I was running," I replied.

"What from?" he asked. I laughed shortly as his misunderstanding of my words.

"Nothing really. I had issues with my family and I just needed to work off my frustration I guess," I said.

"Your family?" he asked, sounding curious and if I wasn't mistaken, a tad remorseful.

"My parents and my… well, it's hard to explain but you'll meet them when we get there," I explained. He simply nodded but since he seemed to be in a sharing mood, I continued speaking. "So who are you?" I asked, ducking a low hanging branch.

"My name is Cameron," he introduced himself, pausing to shake my hand with his good arm.

"Renesmee, but everyone just calls me Nessie," I replied, smiling as I shook his hand. Here we were in the middle of the forest, both half naked and _now _we were introducing ourselves?

I was just about to ask him what had happened to his arm, when an unmistakable sound coming from the east stopped me in my tracks. Cameron cocked his head in the direction and we both froze, listening for another gunshot. I felt my pulse quicken as the loud sound reverberated off the trees. The hunter had to be close, just through the trees, for the sound to be that loud. Cameron was closer to the sound and I frantically wondered what we should do. I knew that if either of us made any sudden movements, we would get shot. No one but hunters or deer ever roamed these parts of the forest and it would be easy for a human to mistake a person for an animal in the dim light. Being half-vampire made us immune to a lot of things, but a bullet through the head or heart could kill us just as easily as it would any human. I came up with a very basic plan: lie down and hide amongst the shrubs. But I couldn't think of a way to communicate it to Cameron without scaring the crap out of him. Any sound could startle him, as would my telepathic approach. So, with no plan at all, we stood there, hoping for the hunter to turn in the opposite direction. Luck wasn't with me that day it seemed, because a second later I saw the hunter push through the last of the trees.

When he stepped into view and his gun locked on the pair of us, Cameron lightly stepped in front of me, placing himself between the gun and me. I was puzzled by his action, but more immediately concerned about the hunter…. because I recognized him. It was Mr. Trethewey.

"Renesmee Masen?" he asked, in a surprised voice, lowering the gun.

"Mr Trethewey," I greeted him stiffly, in that second incredibly grateful that Cameron was blocking me from his view. A teacher- Mr Trethewey of all people- seeing me without a shirt on was quite a way down my list of things I'd wanted to do that day.

"Who is this? What are you doing out here?" he asked the questions in quick succession, not giving me time to answer, but it didn't matter because my quick mind was empty in that second. I made an involuntary and strange sound of helplessness.

"I'm her boyfriend. We were out for a romantic stroll in the woods and got lost," Cameron explained in a voice so certain that it could not be doubted for truth. Mr Trethewey seemed un phased by the brilliant explanation, whilst only my quick reaction time saved me from opening my mouth like an idiot. I took what Cameron had said in my stride and looked from over his shoulder into the glare of my teacher.

"We'll just be going now," I said, taking Cameron's hand in my own.

"Don't let me see you out here again, Miss Masen," my maths teacher warned as he stalked in the opposite direction. With my vampire hearing, I heard him mutter under his breath as he stalked off, "and put some clothes on, idiot." I glared at his back and tried not to laugh as I watched him trip on a tree root. As soon as he was sufficiently out of sight, Cameron turned to look at me, a strange expression on his face.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"Uh, my maths teacher. He hates me," I explained.

"Oh, interesting. Shall we?" he nodded in the direction we were headed in. I agreed and moved my hand up his arm to support him again. We set off at a slightly slower pace than the last time as I gathered that the stress of the encounter had worn him out slightly.

"So, you attend a high school?" he asked as we walked.

"Yeah, with my parents and some of the others."

"How many of you are there?" he inquired, a trace of confusion touching his words.

"There's nine of us all up, but the other eight are all full vampires. I'm the only half in our family," I explained. He stopped suddenly and backed up a few steps from me. I skidded to a halt and looked at him in confusion. His expression had turned alarmed and his eyes watched me with concern. "You're taking me to see full vampires?" he demanded to know.

"Well, yeah?" I added the inflection to the end of my sentence because I wasn't sure why he was reacting that way.

"Are you insane? They'll kill us both!" he spoke loudly, his voice full of panic. He stepped towards me and grabbed my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction, back the way we had come.

"Cameron, they're my _family_. They haven't killed me yet and they're not going to. Besides, they don't drink human blood," I explained, digging my feet in and trying to keep him from running off. He looked incredulous as he took in my expression.

"How can you be so sure? You have human blood, how do they stop from feeding?"

"Even before I came along, they abstained from human blood. They only drink the blood of animals," I told him, watching as his eyes remained disbelieving but became somewhat resigned.

"If they turn on us, I'm blaming you," he replied, allowing me to pull him back.

"They won't. And if they do, I'll protect you. After all," I said, grinning at him, "you _are_ my boyfriend." I winked at him, pleased when his face cracked into a smile. As we started walking again, I began to smell my path from before and recognize some of the trees.

"What happened to you?" I finally asked.

"I ran into a pack of mountain lions. I'm usually quite fast, but I let one of them get a grip on me and the bastard took a chunk out of my shoulder," he enlightened me.

"Were you alone? I mean, do you have a coven?" I enquired, analysing him in my peripheral vision and thinking he didn't look like any of the nomads I'd ever seen. Apart from the ripped clothing and violence he seemed to have

"I once travelled with other half vampires but they chose the blood path so I separated from them."

"How long ago was that?"

"Nearly a year ago now. How long have you been full grown? If you don't mind my asking, that is," he asked, frowning as he considered whether or not he was embarrassing me.

"Not at all. I've only been full grown for six months. You?"

"Ah you're young. I've been fully grown for nearly ten years," he told me and I smiled in fascination. A part of me had always secretly feared that with the years, some signs of age would show, but if Cameron was any standard to set myself by, then it didn't seem like I would.

"When did you hurt your arm?" I enquired when he winced slightly.

"Only an hour ago. I've been wandering around the woods ever since, looking for help or at the very least a shirt."

"Speaking of," I paused, trying to stop the blush that filled my cheeks, "would you mind if we stopped off at my house so I could grab another shirt?" I asked, totally failing with the blush. He looked up to meet my gaze, a smile on his face as he replied.

"Of course. I must thank you for that. The shirt _and _the view." He winked. My mouth fell open but I managed to shut it quickly again. I must have looked like an idiot just staring at him like that, so I just looked at the ground, my cheeks flaming. Did I mention I don't usually blush? This guy was bringing out reactions in me I didn't know I could have. I shook my head, snapping myself out of it as I diverted the path we were on by just a little. Another minute passed and then we were outside my house.

It wasn't an excessively large house, but it was two stories and had plenty of space for my parents and I to share. My room was on the top floor and I remembered I'd left the window open that morning, so rather than walk around to the front of the house, I figured I'd save time and jump. I dropped Cameron's arm and said, "I'll be right back." I did a small run up and then jumped. I practically flew the distance and reached out to grab my window sill. I used my arms to vault myself inside, figuring it would save time, and ended up sprawled on the carpet in the middle of my room. I soft thud behind me had me on my feet in less than a second, tensed to spring at the intruder. But it was just Cameron. I let my body relax as he smirked down at me.

"Nice entrance," he said, looking around my room. My room was tastefully directed, the furniture simple and the room was decorated warmly in honey tones. My bed was made of a light wood and the bedspread was white with blue streaks across it. I'd chosen it because it reminded me of an obscure sunset. It wasn't a small room, not by any stretch of the imagination, and it was covered in my belongings. Cameron suddenly stiffened and I heard him catch his breath.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my eyes frantically scanning the room for a threat. I'd meant what I said when I told him I'd defend him.

"Nothing," he said, visibly straining to return his breathing to normal, "It's just your smell, it's everywhere. You smell…. so beautiful," he breathed the last word and I wasn't sure how to react so I chose that moment to become vigorously involved in my hunt for another shirt. I finally dug a deep red shirt out of my wardrobe and slipped it on. I turned to the mirror and adjusted it so the neckline sat straight. I turned around and looked at him expectantly, silently questioning if he was ready to go. He was facing away from me, looking at my wall where I had pictures of myself spanning my growth. My short childhood, illustrated along the crème walls for the world to see. "Here's me when I was one year old," I told him, pointing to a picture of a small girl with bronze ringlets down to her waist. To a human, this girl was undeniably three or four years old. And so I explained each of the pictures to him, explained my life to him, to this stranger. When I got to the present it was just a simple picture of myself taken a week ago. A teenage girl wearing comfortable jeans and a light cotton blouse. She had long wavy bronze hair, a reasonably tall frame an unusually delicate and slender body. That was one of the perks of being half-vampire; the good looks. Not that I was so arrogant as to call myself that, it was just a fact. Vampires were beautiful, as I carried half genes, I was entitled to at least some of the beauty genes. Lost in my reverie, I didn't really notice Cameron looked up from the photos to my face and smiled at me, seeming in awe of the simple life I had led. He breathed deeply and I saw his fingers twitch towards me. He caught himself before he touched me and instead, looked at me intensely.

"Tell me it's not just me. Why does your blood smell so sweet to me?" he asked, stalking a step closer to me. I felt my heartbeat rise as he came closer.

"It's not just you. You smell… don't tempt me Cameron, I don't have perfect control yet," I told him, holding out my hands, palms up in the universal 'stop' sign. The smell of his wound had all but faded from my awareness but when he drew attention to it, it was suddenly all I could think of. He smiled, stepping back towards the window.

"Come on, let's go take care of your arm, before I do something stupid," I grinned. He leapt out of the window before me, landing lithely on his feet. I landed almost as gracefully beside him. We started walking again in the direction of the Cullen house. Night had officially fallen by the time we returned outside and there was a chill in the air. Having human blood meant that I wasn't immune to the cold the way my relatives were, though I did have some extra resistance to it. As we approached the wooden house, I stepped in front of Cameron. "I told you they wouldn't hurt you, but I should go in first, just to be sure," I warned him. I left him in the fringe of the trees and ran towards the house. Alice was already waiting on the front porch, her face set in a frown.

"Hey Alice," I spoke warily, wondering what she'd already seen.

"Go get him, Carlisle needs to work on his arm," she commanded me, getting to her feet. I nodded and turned to go and fetch Cameron, only to find him already walking towards me. When I turned back to the house, Alice had disappeared and Edward was standing in the doorway, his expression strained. I could tell he was searching Cameron's thoughts, wondering what had brought him here.

_Dad, I trust him. Come on, let him in the house, Carlisle needs to check his arm_, I told Edward with my thoughts. He stared stonily down at me for a second before stepping aside. I beckoned Cameron inside with me and tried not to flinch when the door slammed shut behind us. All of the lights were on and the entire family was seated in the open living room area. None of them were smiling.

"I'm Doctor Cullen," Carlisle introduced himself, slowly taking to his feet and walking towards Cameron. They shook hands, though I noticed Cameron looked uneasy at being in a room with that many full vampires. I wondered what had made him so afraid of them to begin with.

"My name's Cameron."

"Pleased to meet you. Now, if you'll come with me, I'll take a look at that arm," Carlisle offered, gesturing towards the staircase. On the rare occasions that he was required to perform surgery or give first aid at home, he usually used his study, so that's where I guessed he was taking Cameron. I made to follow them, but Bella reached out and put a restraining arm on my shoulder. I turned to look at her, surprised by the coldness in her expression. I stayed put, watching as Cameron glanced over his shoulder at me, looking frantic. I used my telepathic gift and tried to send him a reassuring message.

_Carlisle is fine. Trust me, he wouldn't hurt a fly. Just let him work on you, I'll see you when it's over_, I thought towards him, hoping he didn't freak out at the sudden voice in his head. I watched as he flinched a little, but otherwise managed to stay calm as he followed Carlisle out of my line of sight.

Mom and Dad took a stand together against the back wall, holding hands and looking down at me in a concerned way. Jasper took a seat next to Alice and frowned at me. "Okay what's going on? You're all acting really weird," I stated, looking from one to the next. No one answered my question, each of them keeping their faces impassive and blank as stone.

"Alice? What did you see?" I asked, glaring at her.

"Why do you ask?" she smiled, her face too innocent.

"Cut the crap, Alice, I know when something's going on," I said, my tone unusually fierce. She ignored me and I sighed in frustration. Edward and Bella walked over to me then, each putting a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go for a quick walk, Nessie," Edward suggested. I nodded and followed them out the front door. Without an anxious glance in the direction of the second floor study, I leapt off the porch to follow my parents into the woods. I was desperate to know what had happened while I'd been gone, what had changed everyone. Usually my parents were light hearted and fun, seeming more like friends than authority figures ,so for them to be approaching me so seriously was definitely cause for concern.

"Renesmee…. we're going to take off for a few days," my mom told me. I nodded brusquely; my parents often went on romantic getaways, I usually stayed by myself or at least went to live with my extended family during those trips. "Alice has seen some trouble brewing, so your father and I are going to go and head it off before it gets here," she continued, her tone concerned.

"We're going to go away for a few days to try and deal with the trouble she sees coming. It shouldn't be for more than a few weeks, but we have to leave immediately," Edward said, his tone blank.

"Oh, okay… What sort of trouble? Are we in danger?" I asked, stopping by a tree branch. They both stopped and shared a quick, impassive glance before both looking at me.

"No, we're not in danger. Alice sees that if we deal with the trouble now, then it won't be an issue," Edward said.

"Who's going with you?" I asked, concern for my parents filled me. I loved them both deeply and the last thing I wanted was for them to walk into any trouble.

"We all are," Bella explained.

"Okay. When are we leaving?" I asked.

"You're not. Everyone else is. We need to sort this out without you around. We can't risk you by letting you coming along. You're to stay here," my father said somewhat reluctantly. "The Volturi are behind this and we can't risk you. Alice will see if any danger approaches you, but in the meantime, we need you to stay at the house. No school. We can't afford _any_ mistakes right now," he continued. I looked into his handsome face and saw no lies there. I felt a pulse of anger radiate through me as I considered the Volturi.

"Is it going to be like the last time? Will there be a stand against them? A war?" I questioned them.

"No. Aro wants to speak with all of us. He intends for you to be there, but Alice has seen what will happen if you attend the meeting and we won't allow that to happen," my father said, stepping forward to put a comforting arm around me, contrary to his angry words.

"Nessie, Alice has seen that if you stay here, you will be safe. Please stay home and out of trouble. The others will be packed now, we're leaving as soon as we return," my mother said. I pulled my parents towards me and we shared a brief group embrace, each linking our fingers with the other two. "I'll call you every night," I promised, my voice thick with unshed tears. I knew they'd said everything would be fine, but I remembered the snowy day when I'd met the Volturi before. They were dangerous and merciless. I didn't want my family anywhere near them, but I knew Alice wouldn't send them into danger so all I could do was trust they would be alright.

Bella was right; when we returned to the house, the others were all lined up near the front door, each with a large backpack loaded onto their shoulders. Cameron was seated at the couch, his arm in a clean white bandage and a confused expression on his face. When I entered he got to his feet, seeming relieved to see a familiar face. I smiled at him before directing my attention to the others. I went to each of them, hugging them tightly once, wordlessly telling them how much I loved them. They all indulged me, returning my embraces with icy arms. I was the baby of the family and that usually meant I was treated differently, but they could tell that I knew what was happening and that I was taking it seriously, so they behaved accordingly. Not even Emmett had a smile to share.

"I love you all. Come back," was all I said.

"Don't fret Nessie, we'll be back soon," Carlisle reassured me. And with that, they were gone. Alice was the only one to look back as the rest of them sprinted lithely into the forest. She winked once, allowing her solemn face to turn impish for one second, and then she was gone.

I heaved a sigh and turned to face Cameron as I reminded myself he was there. "Are you alright?" he asked me, stepping closer, his beautiful face concerned.

"Yeah I guess. I'm guessing Carlisle told you what was happening?" I asked, my voice strangely empty.

"The Volturi," he said. In that simple phrase he seemed to capture my exact feelings about them; rage, contempt, fear.

"Yes," I answered. "How's your arm?" I asked, examining it with my sharp eyes.

"Much better. Thank you," he said.

"No problem. Where will you go now?" I asked, my brow furrowing as I considered where he had been heading before he'd run into me.

"Apparently…. I'm staying here with you. The small one, I don't know her name, she said she saw me staying with you," he said, sounding as confused as I suddenly was. "Alice I think her name was?" he clarified with raised eyebrows. That explained the wink…. Dam her, I thought as I replied in a perfectly level voice.

"Yes. Alice…"

**Okay, hope that answered some questions! So far no reviews… oh, feeling the love *sigh* **


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Twilight, the characters or the plot. I have no reviews and no life, so here we are again :P

Shout out to my beta who didn't know she was my beta. LOL at your reaction when I told you it was me :P 

-Chapter 3-

"You… you're staying here?" I asked Cameron, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, apparently. Is that going to be a problem?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Um. No, I guess not. Did Alice happen to mention _why_ you were staying?" I enquired, trying not to sound rude. Truly, I wouldn't mind the company while the others were gone, but it was Alice's wink that had me confused and a tad apprehensive. What did my aunt know about my future that I didn't?

"Nope. I'll leave if that would make you more comfortable? I wouldn't want to impose," he said, his voice polite but I could swear I saw just a little hurt in his eyes.

"No, no. Stay here, please. I was just surprised that's all," I amended, watching with relief as his smile returned. "Where did you want to sleep?" I asked, gesturing around the large empty Cullen house.

"Where will you be?"

"Uh, I was thinking I would just go home."

"Is there a spare room there?" he asked. Again, I felt warmth fill my cheeks and I turned around to look out the window as I replied.

"Yes, and you're welcome to it," I offered. I heard him step closer to me, joining me in my observation of the dark forest outside.

"I might go for a walk, if you don't mind. Get the lay of the land, so to speak," he said and I heard, rather than saw him walk out the front door. I watched for him, wondering where he would go in his exploration of the Cullen's land. It was a large area and shared a border with a forest. The grass was neatly trimmed yet still had a look of wild growth about it. His injuries barely seemed to bother him and I was grateful Carlisle had had time to help him before he'd had to leave. I watched as Cameron took to the trees, flying through the night with grace that I had never been able to master. I thought I'd gotten my less than perfect reflexes from my mother, who had apparently been clumsier than a newborn foal when she was human. I turned off lights and shut the door behind me, setting towards home at a reasonably slow pace, enjoying the chilly air. Someone had found Cameron a shirt, long sleeved and black, so I knew he wouldn't be cold. I had about a million questions for him but I sensed that he just wanted to settle in and I reminded myself that I should just be patient.

I didn't see Cameron again until later that night and I was in my pyjamas and about to slip into bed. A soft knock at my door made me jump and my heartbeat accelerated. And then I realised who it was. Unfortunately for me, that realisation did nothing to calm me. He entered my room, leaning casually against the door frame. I ordered my blood vessels to behave, obstinately refusing to blush again in front of him. There was a short silence before he spoke.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked, an incomprehensible expression on his face, obviously in response to my rising heartbeat. I looked at his face, raising one eyebrow as I prepared to make a snappy remark, but I got caught up in his eyes. They were beautiful, and the depth… I felt like I was looking into his soul. They were a mesmerizing shade of steel grey and suited his hair colour more perfectly than if an artist had painted him that way. Blinking once, I looked away, embarrassed at having been caught staring at him.

"A little," I replied, allowing a small smile to light up my face.

"Good," he whispered with a smile as he left my room, shutting the door softly behind him.

It took me a long time to sleep after his parting words, but thankfully, since I was banned from school, I didn't have to worry about waking up early. Full vampires couldn't sleep at all and that was one aspect that I did not envy in the slightest. I enjoyed sleep, whether or not my exposure to my constantly awake family made me value it more, I didn't know, but I loved the feeling of peace that came with the oblivion of sleep.

***

I slept for a long time and it was nearly ten o'clock by the time I woke up, the sun was high in the sky, streaking bright light through my room. I held up my hand, admiring the slightly luminous glow as I focused my hearing. I could hear Cameron moving around downstairs. Remembering his presence, I sat bolt upright in my bed, feeling self-conscious about what I was going to wear for the first time that I could remember.

Twenty minutes later, I was showered and dressed in a comfortable blue knit dress. I struggled to keep my pace normal as I entered the kitchen as I was feeling anxious about seeing him again. I was strange, I barely knew him, but I felt an irresistible pull towards him. Maybe it was because he was another half breed like me. I'd only ever met one other, Nahuel, several years ago, but it hadn't been like this. Nahuel had been the piece of the puzzle that solved the mystery of my fast growth and even convinced the Volturi that I would not be a problem if I were allowed to live. They, the vampire 'royalty', had travelled all the way from Italy to Washington on some kind of quest to eradicate the Cullen family. The three leaders, Aro, Caius and Marcus, seemed bent on ending my family's way of life. The Cullens live off the blood of animals and some vampires resent them for rejecting their own nature. The Volturi were some such vampires. Immortals don't tend to band together, so our coven of nine had scared them into the offensive, my existence being the catalyst behind their attack. Vampiric children were a taboo in vampire society. Immortal children they were called. There was a time in our history when they had created big problems for our kind. They were infants, innocent babies when they were bitten and turned immortal and their brains didn't advance along with their bodies. Add all that together and you get one extremely dangerous child with no regard for exposure and the risks they posed to vampires everywhere. The Volturi had originally thought I was an immortal child and when they'd realised I wasn't, that I had been biologically born and not made, they'd stooped low to try and keep their reason for a fight sound. My family had been prepared to fight for me, as had Carlisle's friends, other vampires we'd called on in our time of need, but in the end, like all bullies, the Volturi had ran with their tails between their legs.

When I entered the kitchen, I saw Cameron sprawled on the carpet in the adjoining living room, a piece of plain toast in his hand. He looked adorable, his hair still sticking up in places from where he had slept on it, a droopy tired expression on his face. He was wearing his clothes from the night before, but the shirt wasn't buttoned and hung loosely around him. "Good morning," I called to him and his eyes snapped open quickly.

"And to you. Did you sleep well?" he asked, taking a bite of toast.

"I slept fine. Did you want anything to put on that toast?" I asked, looking quizzically at the plain slice he held. What kind of sane person didn't at least put jelly on their toast?

"No thanks, I prefer it like this," he replied, looking amused by expression. I just shrugged and went over to the cupboard to decided what to eat for breakfast. I ended up with a bowl of cereal and I took it into the living room so I could sit and talk with my guest. He'd finished the toast and was lying face down on the floor, his head resting carefully on his arms so as not to bother his wound. I hesitated in the entry way to the room, wondering if he'd fallen asleep, but then his head snapped up and he grinned, beckoning me closer with one hand. I smiled uncertainly back at him and took a seat on the floor beside him, resting my back against the couch.

"Ew, cereal," he muttered, propping himself up on his one good elbow and looking disdainfully at my fruit loops.

"Bite me," I said, spooning the first mouthful in and making a show of chewing it. He grinned and shook his head, causing his hair to fall into his eyes.

"Careful, I may take you up on that," he murmured, his eyes dangerous and playful at the same time. I swallowed the cereal and the gulping sound made him laugh. "Don't be afraid of me. If I'd wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have done so already?" he asked, cocking one eyebrow.

"I suppose. But then again, who's to say you'd win if it came to a fight?" I sassed him.

"Oh, I think I could take you," he responded with a grin.

"Hmm, well let's hope it doesn't come to that," I said, a coy smile making itself known on my face.

"Agreed," he took a breath before continuing, "There's something that's been bothering me since last night…. how did you speak to me last night, before, er, Carlisle fixed my arm? I swear no one else heard what you said, and you sounded like you were speaking just to me," he enquired, looking confused.

"Ah," I said. I figured it would be easier to show him than to explain. _I can project my thoughts towards other people_, I told him with my mind. He jumped slightly from his position on the floor and then looked at me, his expression staggered.

"How the _hell_ did you just do that?" he asked, sitting up entirely to face me.

"I was born with it. You know how some vampires have 'special abilities'?" I began and he nodded slowly, regarding me with new eyes. "Well, I inherited this gift from my father. He's a mind-reader," I said and watched with delight as his expression became openly shocked.

"For real? A _mind-reader_? And that makes you, what? A mind…?"

"We don't really have a name for it," I said, smiling as I shrugged.

"Mind-reading… I knew Aro could, but I'd never heard of anyone else…."

"Yep. My family's full of special talents."

"Like what?"

"Well, Alice, she can see the future. That's probably what she meant when she told you she 'saw you' staying here with me" I explained, remembering her wink and feeling puzzled and more than a bit concerned by it all over again. "And, there's my uncle Jasper. He can kind of manipulate moods. And my mom is a shield against mental abilities, it came in handy once upon a time," I continued, watching as his expression remained frozen in a mask of calm. I could see in his eyes that he was excited by what I was telling him, but trying to play it down for some reason I couldn't fathom. I tried not to let thoughts of my family get me down, but was unable to deny that thinking about them wasn't slightly painful. I wondered where they were right now, were they safe?

"That's definitely something I'd like to hear more about later," he stated, running a hand through his hair in a seemingly unconscious gesture.

"Later? So what do you want to hear about now?"

"Tell me about you," he requested, settling himself back down into a lounging position on the floor.

"Then will you tell me about you?" I turned his question against him, taking a few spoonfuls of my nearly forgotten cereal.

"Sure," he agreed vaguely, shrugging and then wincing as that pulled at his sore arm.

"I was born seven years ago. My mom and dad fell in love while my mom was still a human and then when she had me, they turned her into a vampire. I nearly killed her…" I trailed off morosely.

"I killed my mother…" Cameron said, his voice soft and somehow fragile. "It's in our nature, I suppose, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. You're lucky you still have her," he spoke sadly. I nodded and we shared a brief moment of silence, before he motioned with one hand for me to keep going.

"The Volturi found out about me and tried to wipe out my family, but through some negotiating we managed to drive them away. Did the Volturi find you after that? They said that they were going to look for more half breeds and try to learn more about our kind, but we haven't heard from them since."

"Yes. About seven years ago, they found my coven and questioned us, but thankfully they left us in peace," he said, speaking quickly.

"Oh," I breathed, before continuing. "Was that the same coven of blood-drinkers?"

"Yes," he answered, his eyes taking on a faraway look, and I knew not to ask him about it anymore.

"And ever since the Volturi left us alone, I've just been waiting until I reached my full growth so I could start high school with the rest of my family. You have _no_ idea how boring home school can get," I told him as I rolled my eyes.

"I can imagine." He smiled.

"Oh, and then there's Jake. He's my… well, it's hard to explain," I began.

"Who is he?"

"You know of werewolves, right?" He nodded so I continued. "There is a pack of them at a place called La Push, in Washington. Jacob's a werewolf," I said, watching with satisfaction as his eyes widened. "And this tribe of wolves, well, they have a sort of custom called imprinting…" I trailed off because I'd caught the look in his eye.

"Ah. I've heard about imprinting. This Jake is your imprinted partner then?" he surmised, his voice hiding something.

"Yes, he is," I said and felt a pang of loneliness somewhere in my gut.

"Where is he? From what I've heard of native lore, imprinted wolves don't leave their partner's sides?" he spoke with an inflection to his voice. "Are you and Jacob…. together?" he continued, without giving me time to answer. I snorted a laugh as I shook my head.

"Me and Jacob? No way. We're not like other pairs. There's absolutely nothing romantic about us at all, but he's my best friend," I told Cameron honestly. I reflected on my relationship with Jacob, letting the nostalgia hold me for a few moments. After the Volturi dramas had been somewhat sorted, he'd lived with our family, watching over me like the most protective big brother a girl could wish for. Then, when I'd gone through the troubled teenage phase, he'd been there as best friend. And that was where it ended. Everyone, even Jake I think, had expected that we would become something more than friends, but we never had. I knew deep down that some part of him was disappointed, but he never showed it, seeming to always be happy as long as I was happy. I didn't think I deserved a friend as good as Jacob; he was so kind and carried a happiness with him that I felt guilty for hogging all to myself, but he'd told me over and over again how he didn't mind.

'_I'm here for you, Ness, no matter what. We don't have to be together like that, we don't have to do any of that stuff. I'm whatever you need me to be'_,he'd said. It was unfortunate that I felt no romantic attachments to Jacob, but I just couldn't change the way things were. I sighed, returning to the present.

"You're not together?" Cameron repeated, bemused.

"No. I think sometimes he wishes we were, but… I don't know, he's always just been a friend to me and even though everyone expects me to make the leap someday, I just can't see it happening," I tried to explain. I felt weird explaining my troubles to a practical stranger, but there was something about him that I recognized in myself. I wasn't sure what it was, but I would find out, I swore to myself as I finished my bowl of cereal. I told him I'd be right back and I got to my feet to put my empty bowl in the sink. I still had a few loops floating around on the bottom but I couldn't find it in me to eat them, so instead I turned to the trash. I opened the lid and the smell hit me like a brick.

My eyes darted to the bin and inside I saw my purple shirt from the night before, the one I'd used to bandage Cameron's arm. It was covered in his blood and the smell that invaded my senses was so appetizing that my hands instinctively constricted around the bowl I was holding. I heard it shatter distantly, as though it were an echo of a memory I was listening to. The whole of my consciousness was occupied by my thirst and I whirled to look for the source of the forbidden smell. Cameron had heard the glass shatter and was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, his face confused and slightly alarmed.

And that's when I launched myself at him. I wasn't Renesmee Cullen anymore, I was nothing but thirsty, desperate to sate the hunger that consumed me so fully. He had time to look shocked before he dodged my body, ducking to the right. I crashed into the wall and a wild growl ripped through my teeth as I turned to find him. I couldn't remember that only a minute prior I had been having conversation with him, no, I was only aware of the beautiful red that ran through his veins and how it promised to quench my desperate thirst. His eyes were bewildered but his body was responding as mine had, preparing for a fight. I reached for him but he grabbed at my wrist with impossible strength and twisted it behind me. I struggled against him, using all the strength I possessed, but he managed to hold me still.

"Nessie?" he groaned through clenched teeth as he exerted force I'd only known full vampires could produce to push me to the ground. I landed face down and he pushed against my wildly thrashing body, trying to pin me down. A scream of rage came out of my mouth and I pushed against him, fighting uselessly against his superior strength. He held me that way for a long moment, waiting for me to gather control. And gradually, I did. I felt my senses return to normal and my brain begin to start controlling my reactions rather than my body. I groaned once and slumped against the carpet.

"Cameron, let me up now," I begged him, feeling embarrassed.

"I don't think so, not yet. Told you I could take you" he replied, a smirk in his voice. I started struggling against him again and that was when the front door burst open. I couldn't see who it was from my pinned position on the floor, but I could tell immediately who it was. Jacob phased in mid air as he leapt towards Cameron, knocking him off me and into the wall. I jumped to my feet and reached for Jacob, trying to put my arms around the large wolf and get him away from Cameron. I looked down at Cameron and was horrified when I saw that his arm wound had opened back up again and was now bleeding profusely. I grit my teeth and kept shoving against Jacob, trying to put myself between the wolf and the bleeding man on the floor.

"Jacob, no! Stop, don't hurt him," I begged him, feeling tears run down my face. The wolf growled sharply in protest, but as I pushed against him once more, I felt him stop fighting against me.

The wolf shuddered violently once and I watched as it's frame tremor once before blurring slightly. I averted my gaze as I knew that when Jake returned to human, he would be naked. Whenever he changed from his human form to wolf form whilst wearing clothes, they usually shredded to bits. Sure enough as I looked around me, I saw pieces of tattered denim strewn around the room. I knelt to help Cameron, flinching against the smell, but somehow managing to maintain control. I couldn't understand his face as it vacillated between anger and pain so quickly.

"What the hell was he doing to you?" Jacob thundered from beside me. I didn't look up as I replied.

"It was my fault. I attacked him, he was just defending himself." There was a long pause and then I heard Jacob leave the room after sighing in exasperation, probably going to find some clothes.

"Cameron, are you alright?"

"I'm… I'm fine. So that was Jacob huh?" he asked, his voice teeming with agony. I flinched and bit my lip as I nodded. I helped him up to the couch and was placing a pillow beneath his head when Jake returned to the room.

"I'm so sorry, Cameron. When I… when I smelled your blood, I just… I lost it and I'm so sorr-"

"Don't worry about it. I'd say you're only human but…" he trailed off, letting a spark of amusement show in his expression as he squeezed my hand once.

"Renesmee, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" Jacob asked, walking over to me. He'd found a pair of dark pants but hadn't been so lucky with a shirt as his form was so bulky and muscular. If Emmett had had any clothes around, I would've offered Jake them, but since he didn't live with us, there wasn't much I could do.

"Sure Jake, just give me a sec," I told him, locking eyes with Cameron as I practically sprinted to the bathroom to find a fresh bandage for him. I rummaged in the cluttered cabinet for nearly a full minute, sorting through syringes and all manner of medical items. I barely ever got sick, but Bella and Edward seemed to have deemed it necessary to put half a freaking hospital away in there. Eventually, I returned triumphantly to the living room. Jacob was staring at Cameron with a hard expression and Cameron was determinedly staring at the wall in front of him, not returning Jake's glare. They both looked up when I approached and felt extremely uncomfortable with the weight of their gazes against me. I knelt down by Cameron, locking my mouth shut with all the willpower I had, and began to dab at his wound with a wet cloth.

"I can do that," Cameron offered, sensing my tension. I shook my head, vehemently rejecting his offer.

"I'm the one that messed you up, I should be the one to clean you up after," I reminded him, allowing a small smile. He grinned back and Jacob coughed loudly, reminding me suddenly of his presence.

"Just a _second_ Jake," I sighed, sounding more impatient than I'd meant to come across as.

"Fine, I'll say it here. Your parents asked me to come and check on you. Apparently there's some trouble brewing," Jacob replied, his tone businesslike. I continued dabbing away at Cameron's injury, waiting for Jake to elaborate more. When he didn't, I spoke.

"And a phone call wouldn't have worked why?" I snapped, angry at him for the first time I could remember since he'd left to return to La Push. Our time together was usually so short that I could never get mad at him. _Some things have to change_, I reminded myself.

"I need to get back to the pack. Alice isn't positive the wolves will be left out of this, so I need to be there," he finished and I finally looked at him.

"I understand. You don't think mom and dad are hurt, do you?" I asked, my voice sounding small even in my own ears.

"I'm not sure. Look, I really can't stay, even though I want to. Walk me to my car" he asked, his gaze softening again.

"Sure. Cameron, I'll just be a moment," I told him as I followed Jake out the front door. As soon as we were outside, Jacob pulled me into his arms and gave me an enormous hug. My face was against his chest and I breathed in his smell, feeling comforted. Full vampires couldn't stand the smell of werewolf, but to me it was bearable. He didn't smell like sunshine and flowers, but it wasn't a painful scent to be around.

"I missed you Nessie," he said as he released me.

"I know. And I missed you too," I admitted, my anger dissipating. I remembered how much I'd wished to see him… last night? Could it have only been yesterday? It was strange how far away it seemed, how much had happened since then.

"Alice mentioned the guy in there. So he's the other one? The other half-vampire they've got lookin' out for you?" Jacob asked.

"I guess so. I found him in the woods yesterday and then just as they were all leaving, Alice told him that she saw him staying here with me," I explained.

"Be careful, Ness, I wouldn't want you getting hurt," he reminded me and I smiled at him.

"I will. Now get your furry butt back to La Push before Leah calls up and chews me out about stealing the Alpha," I told him with a mock strict expression.

"Yes Ma'am. And… tell the kid I'm sorry for jumping him like that. When I saw him on top of you, well, I kind of got the wrong idea." he replied as he gave me a goodbye hug. I held onto him for a short moment before he let go and stepped into his car. With a crunching of gravel, he was driving away and I was alone again. Crap- I wasn't alone. Cameron was inside bleeding still, bleeding because of me. I went back inside, shutting the door behind me and went back to the couch. He was still in pain, that much was obvious, but I could tell that it had been worse for him yesterday.

"Did I mention I was sorry?" I told him as I started wrapping the clean white bandage around his arm.

"Once or twice," he replied, sitting up so I could reach his arm better. It only took me a few minutes to have him all good again but the guilt didn't go away with the blood. I still felt horrible for tackling him, especially unprovoked like I had. I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off.

"Nessie, don't. It's fine. Half-vampire blood isn't supposed to smell as sweet as yours does to me, and I'm guessing mine smells that way to you. I can't blame you for what you did and I'm not going to. Stop freaking out, it's fine," he said, trying to comfort me.

"But I should have more control than that. I guess we're both lucky you've got vampire genes then, otherwise that would take a long time to heal," I said, nodding towards his arm.

"Good, I'm glad to see you're letting it go. Now, let's go clean up the mess you made in the kitchen, then how about we go out for a bit?"

"Sure. Where did you have in mind?" I asked, trying not to get irrationally excited. He grinned suggestively as he replied.

"You'll find out when we get there. It's a surprise."

**Okay, that chapter got a lot of the history out of the way so now we can start on the storyline a little more. Yes, repetitive as hell and I'm sorry, but I PROMISE next chapters will be better. I even see a Cameron POV happening somewhere soon….**


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Twilight or the characters but I actually do own the plot, woops on the disclaimer on chapter 3. I have ONE review so this is a shout out to 'TotalVampLover'- first review, yay gold star for you! Haha okay, moving on…. 

-Chapter 4-

**Cameron POV:**

My face stayed frozen in a carefully cultivated mask as I stared up in the tree at her. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her sides, reaching halfway down her back. Her skin was flawless and smooth and from where I stood I could see that she was slender and soft. She was still a few yards away but I could see the chocolate brown of her eyes, almost feel the warmth that her gaze exuded. She didn't know me, I was a perfect stranger, but the expression on her face was filled with compassion and fascination. I could smell her blood from where I stood and immediately tensed up in response. She smelled so damn good. Her blood was truly mouth-watering and even though I knew I had to keep her alive, I was quite tempted, having never smelled anything half as amazing in my life. I could see her eyes looking over me and managed to forget her scent and return my focus to the task at hand. She had no doubt noticed my blood and had probably been able to smell it even while I'd been farther away. I had smelled her from further away and had immediately known that she was the one I was seeking. She was the other half-vampire.

"Who are you?" she whispered and her voice startled me. I stepped backwards in surprise and watched her movements closely. God she had nice legs, I could tell from the tight jeans she wore. _Idiot, focus_, I reminded myself. She jumped down from her spot in the trees, keeping her eyes on me the whole time. I let a low warning growl sound from within me, watched as she reacted instinctively. And then her expression shifted, like she was trying to control her impulses to reassure me. She smiled in a somewhat strange way and asked me why I was there. I told her I didn't know, all the while trying to appear defenceless so she would come closer, would trust me. She approached cautiously and I could tell she was looking at me closely. If I wasn't mistaken, I could've sworn she was checking me out a little. I suppressed a smirk and worked on staying in character. When she became slightly too close, I stepped backwards once.

"I don't drink blood, you have nothing to be afraid of," she said, obviously trying to make her tone smooth and reassuring.

"You survive on human food too?" I asked, stepping closer to her, building her trust in me. She asked me a question about whether or not I drank blood. No, I told her truthfully. I wasn't playing a character then, I didn't drink blood. She processed my answer carefully, surveying my arm again. Truthfully, I'd almost forgotten about my wound. Self-inflicted of course- like anything other than a full vampire could take me down, I reminded myself arrogantly, my thoughts sarcastic. I was watching her closely when she did something that surprised me. Looking slightly embarrassed but making an effort to appear nonchalant, she pulled her purple blouse over her head. It didn't even occur to me why she'd done it, I was too preoccupied with the amount of flesh the beautiful, suddenly half-naked girl in front of me was showing. And I'd thought her blood was sweet.

_Holy crap_, I thought, unable to avoid a quick look. Nice. She didn't seem to notice that I'd peeked, and I coughed once and looked away, trying to respect her privacy. I was a man after all, and I thought I'd done reasonably well turning away when I had. She stepped closer to me and my breath caught before I realised she was just using the shirt to stop my bleeding some.

"I know a doctor who can help you. Will you come with me?" she asked after she'd finished with the makeshift bandage. Carlisle Cullen, vampire doctor extraordinaire. Yes, I needed her to take me to her home and introduce me to everyone. I needed to get in their good graces before they would leave me alone with her. I nodded slowly at her and she asked if I would be able to run.

"Probably not fast," I told her and watched as her eyes roamed from the red marks I had inflicted on my ankle in addition to the gash on my arm. She said something about taking everything slowly, but I wasn't really paying attention because she had stepped closer to me again. The heat coming off her body demanded my attention and I took the supporting arm she offered me without hesitation. The second our skin touched, I felt something. Not quite a tingle but something, almost like a spark, seemed to come off her skin. I overlooked it and let her lead me in the direction of the Cullen house. The speed was painfully slow but I was supposed to be in great pain so I let her pull me along. The silence seemed almost painful and my goal was supposed to be gaining her trust so I started a conversation, asking why she'd been out in the woods in the first place.

"I was running," she replied.

"What from?" I asked, my brow furrowing as I considered this new development. I hadn't counted on her having any enemies to have to deal with. She laughed, a beautiful and airy sound and I glanced up at her, confused. She explained that she'd had some family issues and she'd needed to work off her frustration. I questioned her about her family as I was supposed to. The random stranger I was playing wasn't supposed to know about her family. She started to explain about the large group of full vampires she lived with but eventually trailed off, thinking I would be confused.

"So who are you?" she asked and I could hear the curiosity burning beneath her words as she asked the question she'd been dying to know the answer to since the minute she'd seen me.

"My name is Cameron," I introduced myself, pausing slightly to take her hand and shake it in greeting. There was that spark again. As the feeling ran through me I couldn't help but be distracted by the softness of her hand, the comfortable warm temperature of her skin. She reminded me so much of Carolina like that. _Dammit_, _don't think about her_, I told myself when a vivid mental image came through my mind.

"Renesmee, but everyone just calls me Nessie." I already knew her name but hearing her say it did surprising things to me. I was just considering them when suddenly I heard a gunshot from nearby. I stiffened instinctively as I considered the threat. A quick breath told me they were human but I didn't recognize them. I could tell they were too close for us to be able to hide before they saw us so I stood there and waited to face them, thinking through acceptable reasons for us to be there. A middle-aged man stepped through the trees, dressed in his hunting gear. He had a small naturally ruddy face that was fixed in a confused and somewhat incredulous frown. I could tell he was looking at Renesmee and I didn't like it so I stepped in front of her, feeling an irrational surge of protectiveness, not wanting her to have to endure the man's penetrating gaze.

"Renesmee Masen?" the man suddenly exclaimed in a disapproving tone as he looked past me to her.

"Mr Trethewey," she greeted him stiffly and I realised she knew him.

"Who is this? What are you doing out here?" he asked in a demanding tone. I held back a snarl at his tone; he had no right to talk to her like that. I waited for her to speak but after a few seconds I realised she had no brilliant excuse. I quickly pulled the most logical and simplest explanation I could think of.

"I'm her boyfriend. We were out for a romantic stroll in the woods and got lost," I said, sounding confident and a little defiant. I watched as the angry man directed his gaze towards me and I met his glare with one of my own. I wasn't really paying attention to what Renesmee said next but she took my hand and started pulling us in the opposite direction so I assumed she'd dismissed us. I heard him mutter under his breath about her lack of clothing and fought the urge to shout at him about showing respect to a lady, barely holding myself back. We walked in silence for a few moments until out of earshot and I turned to her, the curiosity overwhelming me. I asked who he was and she explained he was her maths teacher. They apparently had a mutual hatred from what I could see of her expression. We made small talk for a short while and when she started talking about full vampires I felt my fear spike reflexively. They were evil, every one of them. Full vampires had caused nothing but trouble in my life and even though the Cullens were widely known as the most humane vampires in the world, I still couldn't get over my prejudice. She didn't seem to understand my apprehension and I let her try to comfort me with empty words, none of them taking effect. I already knew that they abstained from human blood but hearing her repeat it was a little confronting. I finally let her continue to pull me towards the house, telling her that if they turned on us I was blaming her. Of course, I couldn't blame her if they did, they were full vampires and wouldn't be able to hold back their evil nature.

"They won't. And if they do, I'll protect you. After all, you _are_ my boyfriend," she quipped with a wink and I smiled at her unthinkingly.

I'd just caught her scent and knew we were getting closer to the house when she finally asked the question I'd been waiting for her to ask.

"What happened to you?" she wondered. I rattled off my excuse about mountain lions attacking me, nearly laughing at the idea of it. Our kind grew stronger and more vampiric as we aged and the concept of an animal being able to overpower me was laughable. She asked if I had been alone and I told her as much of the truth as I could. I told her that the group I had travelled with had all been bloodthirsty. What I left out was why I'd really left them. That was my secret, I wasn't about to tell her, no matter how harmless she seemed. I changed the subject smoothly, asking how old she was. I grimaced when she told me. _Shit_, she was practically a child. Only full grown for six months, still new to this life.

"Ah you're young. I've been fully grown for nearly ten years," I replied, unable to not sound a little arrogant about it. Age was something much valued in half vampires, something she probably didn't realise as she hadn't met many by the sounds of it. She surveyed me again as I answered and I tried to stop myself from glancing downwards at her, knowing full well that was inappropriate. She smiled a little self satisfied smirk and I was dying to know what made her do it. Her secrets were beginning to make me curious and curiosity was something I couldn't afford to have with her. Unable to resist, I let my gaze slide stealthily over her body as we passed through the undergrowth. I winced slightly as my body reacted to what I saw and I told myself to snap the hell out of it.

"When did you hurt your arm?" she asked. Ha. She thought I was in pain because of my stupid arm. Hardly. I told her it had only happened an hour ago and that I'd been looking for help or a shirt. She blushed at the word 'shirt' and I immediately knew why. She asked if we could stop off at her house to find her a new shirt and I grinned.

"Of course. I must thank you for that. The shirt _and _the view," I said with a wink. I did a mental double-take; what the hell had I just done? Why was I flirting with her? I wasn't there to flirt, I was there to gain her trust and then completely turn on her. I felt sick as I thought about what I what I had a part in and what it would mean for the innocent girl in front of me.

We were both silent for the rest of the short journey. After a short while we arrived at her house, a large and modern looking building. I did a quick survey of the house, taking in the open window on the top floor. She said something about being back in a second and I watched her take a run up to the side of the house and jump. She was surprisingly agile and I couldn't remember being that co-ordinated when I was so freshly grown. I suppressed a laugh as she vaulted through her window and undoubtedly ended up on the floor in her room. So much for being agile. Because I was insanely and irrationally curious and because I was a horrible person, I jumped up after her, knowing my leap and landing would be smoother than hers. With age comes precision. I smirked at her when I was in the room, laughing lightly as she sprang to her feet reflexively.

"Nice entrance," I mocked her as my eyes travelled around the room. And then her scent hit me. I tensed up slightly as the smell assaulted every inch of my being. Her fragrance had been manageable before because it was just her, but this room, the room full of her possessions, was layered with her scent. It was everywhere, surrounding me, suffocating me of safe air to breathe. She asked me what was wrong, her eyes darting around the room as she looked for what was bothering me. I took a slow, hesitant breath, wondering exactly how to tell her that _she_ was what was- inadvertently- bothering me.

"Nothing," I said, trying to control my face so she wouldn't lose her trust in me. "It's just your smell, it's everywhere. You smell so beautiful," I told her, too late realising how my words could be taken the wrong way. Her face appeared confused before she turned and bent quickly to search for her clothing. I smiled involuntarily and turned away from her to give her an illusion of privacy. Her room was sparsely decorated and not cluttered in the slightest. I noticed a section of her wall that held photographs of her, detailing her life as she grew to her current form. The first picture was of a newborn baby wrapped in a light pink blanket, soft curls already springing from her head, a heart warming image. The next few depicted a childhood that would appear to humans to span over the first ten years of life, however I knew better; it had only taken me four and a half years to reach the same age she was in the photos. The last few photos spanned the 'teenage' vampire years and I could see exactly how her body had changed when she hit that milestone. I tried desperately not to think about how good puberty had been to her, the things it had done to her body, but failed miserably, feeling my cheeks warm slightly as I thought about them anyway. The curves and soft lines…. She came over to join me and I noticed she'd slipped a shirt on, blood red, and was looking at me expectantly. At first I wondered if she was looking for a compliment on the shirt, but then I realised she was wondering why I'd been looking at her photos. I opened my mouth to explain but she beat me to it and started explaining the photos to me, sharing her life with me. I listened in awe as she pointed out her parents to me and the rest of her family, outlined happy moments and memories, not noticing how I wasn't even looking at the photos, but at her. I couldn't seem to help myself, maybe it was just because she was another of my kind, maybe it was her blood, but I couldn't tear my gaze away.

She was silent for a moment and I glanced down at the picture her gaze was focused on. It was one of her, taken only weeks before I would guess and her expression was impassive as she looked at herself. I breathed in and tried to control myself as her scent hit me again; I'd been holding my breath since I'd entered the room, a handy ability that half vampires possessed. I felt myself tense up again and she met my gaze with curiosity in her eyes. I itched to touch her, to place my hand against her cheek and see if it was as warm as it looked. I managed to barely hold myself in check and instead I spoke.

"Tell me it's not just me. Why does your blood smell so sweet to me?" I asked, unconsciously stepping closer to her. I heard her heartbeat pick up and mentally cursed myself for scaring her.

"It's not just you. You smell… don't tempt me Cameron, I don't have perfect control yet," she warned me and I believed her. No matter what reservations I had about her youth and lack of strength compared to me, I knew in that second that she was far less helpless than she looked. It surprised me when she held her palms out to stop me from coming any closer and I stepped back, grinning to cover my shock that I'd let myself get so close.

"Come on, let's go take care of your arm, before I do something stupid," she said, returning my slightly nervous smile. Once we'd both jumped out the window, we began a short journey towards the other vampires, her family. When the trees began to thin slightly, she stopped abruptly and turned to me, her expression slightly panicked. She assured me that I wouldn't be harmed but that she wanted to go ahead of me and make sure. I nodded and watched her as she left me in the dark. I heard her in the distance, greeting someone named 'Alice'. The name rang a bell and I remembered being told that she was the omniscient one, the future reader.

"Go get him, Carlisle needs to work on his arm," the one named Alice replied and I stepped out of the trees as I realised my presence was required. Renesmee was looking in my direction but once she saw I was already on my way, she turned back to face the large wooden house. On the porch was one person I recognized immediately from the pictures at Renesmee's house. He was the one called Edward, Renesmee's father, the mind reader. I immediately turned my thoughts towards other things, knowing he would be searching my thoughts, looking for anything incriminating. I focused on the outward appearance of the house and felt my apprehension about full vampires leak back into my awareness as I approached. Suddenly, the male shifted his gaze from me to his daughter before moving to the side to let her pass. I followed shortly after her, unbearably anxious about having to have my back to one of _them_. The scene that greeted me was highly alarming and I tried not to let it show in my features but knew that my slightly accelerated heartbeat would register with their intrusively accurate hearing.

"I'm Doctor Cullen," a blonde man spoke softly, stepping forward to shake my hand, slowing his pace so I wouldn't be frightened. I made eye contact with him and felt some of my anxiety dim as I registered the goodness that the man exuded. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I shook his hand and let him lead me towards the stairs so he could treat my arm up in his office.

As my foot hit the bottom step, there was suddenly a voice in my head, a voice I recognized immediately. _Carlisle is fine. Trust me, he wouldn't hurt a fly. Just let him work on you, I'll see you when it's over_. Renesmee's voice. I flinched lightly but kept walking, wondering how the hell she'd done it. Unsatisfied curiosity didn't sit well with me and I could barely wait to corner her later and ask her about it. Carlisle Cullen opened a door for me and I walked into a spacious room with a large mahogany desk and walls of books. He sat me down in a comfortable chair and pulled up his own desk chair to sit opposite me, reaching under the desk and pulling out a black bag. I eyed it warily and watched as he pulled out a piece of white medical gauze and a bottle of what looked and smelt like antibacterial liquid. He reached into the bag again and brought out a few sterile cotton pads to wipe down my wound with.

"So, Cameron, what brings you here?" he asked as he began swabbing my arm down. I clenched my teeth as it stung a little.

"Just travelling through the area," I lied, getting my thoughts away from the subject before Edward picked up on my thoughts.

"I see. And how did you harm yourself?"

"Mountain lions attacked me," I answered, sprouting the same lie that I'd told Renesmee. He nodded and smiled sympathetically down at me, seeming to believe me without question. His unnaturally cold fingers touched my arm once and I saw him frown in confusion before he started to wrap the bandage around me.

"Will you be staying long? I'd love to ask you some questions; I haven't met another mature half vampire in years and I'd be interested in documenting your perspectives," Carlisle said suddenly.

"Uh, I don't know, I guess I could stick around for a bit," I replied, wondering why on Earth the man felt he needed to 'document' me. He smiled in response to my answer but then a frown made itself known on his face.

"Ah, perhaps now is not the best time…. We're all actually leaving town for a few days, we'll be leaving shortly," he said.

"What's going on downstairs? Everyone looked pretty serious."

"Ah, how to explain it... You've heard of the Volturi?" he asked, glancing at me with raised brows as he secured the bandage in place. I nodded once, not letting myself think about them, how much I despised them.

"My, daughter for lack of better word, Alice, she is gifted in that she can see the future. Just vague pictures and alternate realities. She sees them coming for us soon but she can also see that if we go to them, the situation can be diffused without blood," he explained, his tone grave.

"Are you all going?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. Alice sees that if my granddaughter, young Renesmee, accompanies us, she will be lost. We cannot, _will_ not allow that," he stated, meeting my gaze with anger in his eyes. For a second it seemed as though that anger was directed towards me but then his gaze softened and he put a hand on my shoulder. I tried not to shudder, knowing he meant the gesture to be comforting.

"I can see it in your eyes, they've hurt you, too," he spoke quietly, not realising how close to the truth he was.

"Yes, yes they have," I replied, straightening up in my chair and trying to close the conversation.

"Well, your arm is all fixed up. I apologize that I can't do more for you but as I said, I will be leaving shortly. Take some Tylenol for the pain if it becomes bothersome," Dr. Cullen instructed me as he got to his feet.

"Thank you, sir," I replied as I followed him back out of the office. I noticed Renesmee was missing and so were two others. Her father Edward and the woman I assumed to be her mother were all absent from the living room and I felt weak admitting that I felt intimidated being a room of unfamiliar faces. The tiny one, Alice, beckoned me to her and I walked hesitantly over to the couch, sitting where she indicated. I kept my eyes up, glancing around at the other vampires in the room, particularly intimidated by the lean blonde man standing by Alice's shoulder. He screamed dangerous.

"Cameron," she began and I turned my attention to the short girl in front of me. "I can see you staying here with Nessie. She will need a protector while we're gone and I can see you're strong enough to protect her," she stated in a perfectly expressionless voice. I remembered that she could see the future and when she said 'saw' she meant she could see me staying here with Renesmee.

"You want me to stay here and protect her? From what?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"I don't know," Alice said, sounding frustrated with herself. "I just know that somehow she will be in danger. If she accompanies us to Volterra I have seen that she will perish, but her chances here aren't much better. We're doing something wrong…" she trailed off, her frown deepening. "But don't you go telling her any of this. The point of all this is so we can shield her," she told me, glaring at me and gesturing around the room of frozen vampires. I only noticed in that second that they were wall wearing large backpacks, ready for travel. Everyone was silent for a moment and then I heard a heartbeat. My mood lifted irrationally as I watched Renesmee re-enter the room. Unthinkingly, I got to my feet, wanting to go stand with her, but then I remembered what she was going through. Her whole family was leaving her and she wasn't entirely sure if they were coming back or not. She went to each of them, folding them in a tight embrace and I felt the guilt grip me when I saw her face. I was partly responsible for her despair and that cut me up inside, but there was nothing I could do. I quickly changed my thought track so Edward wouldn't catch on. That point had been stressed to me countless times- _don't let Edward know your plan_.

"I love you all. Come back," Renesmee said, her voice brimming with emotion. With those six words she told them everything they needed to hear and I could see that all of them were taking it to heart. Carlisle spoke a few words of reassurance to her and then they were gone. Renesmee went to the door to watch them and I saw her stiffen for some reason. She took a few minutes to pull herself back together, minutes I would not begrudge her, minutes I owed her at the very least. When she did turn back to me, her expression was hardly more contained than it had been before and I couldn't hold back the words I wanted to say.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah I guess. I'm guessing Carlisle told you what was happening?" she replied and her voice sounded dead. Hollow like the grave.

"The Volturi."

"Yes," she replied. She asked about my arm and I told her it was fine. "Where will you go now?" she asked. I took a deep breath- big mistake, her scent was still too damn strong- and prepared my line, knowing that everything I was working for hung in the balance.

"Apparently…. I'm staying here with you. The small one, I don't know her name, she said she 'saw me' staying with you," I exclaimed, working to make my face appear confused. I wasn't supposed to understand the mechanics of Alice's visions. "Alice I think her name was?" I continued when she only stared at me blankly. Comprehension dawned on her face as she confirmed that it was indeed Alice that had spoken to me.

"You… you're staying here?" she asked, sounding confused.

"Yeah, apparently. Is that going to be a problem?" I enquired, adding a little offense to my expression, wondering if I could guilt her into agreeing. She told me it wasn't a problem and asked if I knew why I was supposed to be staying with her. I remembered Alice's words _'But don't you go telling her any of this. The point of all this is so we can shield her,'_ she'd said. I lied, telling her I didn't know and offering to leave again, knowing that the guilt was definitely having an effect on her.

"No, no. Stay here, please. I was just surprised that's all," she spoke hastily, trying to assure me I was indeed welcome. I felt like the biggest jerk in the world for deceiving her the way I was, lying to her like I was, but I didn't have a choice. She asked me where I wanted to sleep, and, remembering Alice's request, I asked if I could sleep somewhere near her. She agreed to let me stay in the spare room at her house and my face unintentionally lit up when she did. I mentally slapped myself, _quit doing that_, I told myself. I muttered some excuse about familiarising myself with the terrain and took off out the open door, more to get away from my own thoughts than her.

I leapt off the porch and made my way to the trees bordering the Cullen land. It only took me a few minutes to be out of hearing range and I knew that unless Renesmee had followed me, she wouldn't be able to hear me talk. I slipped the small cell phone out of my pocket, flipping it open and dialling the familiar number. I pressed the phone to my ear and hated the dialling sound.

"Cameron, what the hell's going on?" a gruff voice greeted me from the other end.

"I'm in. The Cullens are gone and I've been invited to stay with her."

"Good. You know the plan, gain her trust and then convince her to come here to-" he started to say but I cut him off."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the plan. Put Carolina on, I want to talk to her," I demanded into the phone, feeling anger sweep through me. There was silence on the other end of the line for a few moments before her voice came through.

"Cameron?" came the small girl's voice.

"Carolina, baby, I'm here. Are you alright?" I asked, my knees going weak slightly with relief at hearing her voice.

"I'm okay. They didn't hurt me… yet," she said, her voice shaking slightly. It was truly a sign of how fast she'd been forced to grow up, that at six years old, she understood how much danger she was in, what she faced.

"And they won't. As long as I do what they say, they'll let you go and then we'll go back on the road together," I declared, wishing I could promise that definitively to the small girl. Sweet Carolina, my human friend, how fragile she was, how much danger she was in because of me. I frowned when I heard the phone being fumbled around with at the other end of the line.

"You've had your minute, now get back to work," the same voice as earlier ordered me.

"You didn't even let me say goodbye to her, put her back on!" I begged, clenching my fist by my side.

"Tough," the voice snapped before hanging up. I listened to the dial tone in denial for a few seconds before I snapped. I dropped the phone on the ground and stepped towards the nearest tree, bringing my fist forth with all the strength I possessed. There was a deafening crack and then the tree fell over backwards, landing with a thud. It didn't hurt my hand at all and I felt nothing but pure pleasure at the physical release of violence. I bent to pick the phone back up off the floor, pausing when I noticed the background image. It was Carolina, her sweet face filled up the screen with her dimpled smile. She looked like an angel, golden blonde hair and a sugary sweet smile… How those thugs could imprison her like that was incomprehensible to me. I snapped the phone shut and pocketed it, cursing the son of a bitch who had the nerve to do this to us. God damn Italians….

**Okay, there was Cameron POV 1. I know that got a little repetitive but I felt it was important to flesh out his character a little more and get some of his back story in there. Just clarifying: there is NOTHING romantic with him and Carolina, she is his 'little sister'. They're not actually related as Cameron killed his mother before she could have any other children, but they acknowledge each other as siblings. I know it shouldn't matter but I pronounce Carolina as…. (the ca like in cat) Car-oh-lean-ah. Reviews people! **


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Twilight but I find joy in pretending I do, so suck it up and read!

Welcome new readers :P fan base= 7 

-Chapter 5-

I smiled to myself as I took the stairs quickly. I knew it was stupid to get that excited about the idea of spending time in public with him, but I couldn't deny that I was walking with a spring in my step. I didn't know where he wanted to go but I figured jeans and nice blouse would cover almost any outcome. My thoughts were everywhere as I hurriedly changed my outfit. _Where are we going? Can he even drive? Will people see us together? _All answers I would only find out with time, I realised with a prick of annoyance. I wasn't used to being kept out of the loop, to not knowing.

I threw a few essentials into my small, black handbag and slung it over my shoulder, unreasonably anxious. I turned the knob on my door to walk into the corridor and nearly ran headlong into Cameron. He was leaning against the wall across the hallway from my room, still dressed in only his cut off jeans and borrowed shirt. Unthinkingly my eyes roamed his body, my own body reacting in embarrassing ways. Like last night, I felt my heart rate quicken, my face take on subtle red tinge and I wanted to fall through the floor and never have to face him again. What was it about him that kept me making me do stupid things? I'd seen human teenage girls behave like idiots around guys but I'd always thought myself above it. I was part vampire, therefore not susceptible to the hormones and urges that the girls at school fought with. How wrong I was, I realised, as I met his eyes and saw a glint of amusement there.

I took a deep breath and looked at the floor between us, waiting for him to speak. There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence where I could feel his gaze on me and it wasn't until I felt like I would spontaneously combust from the heat he was sending through me that I broke the quiet.

"Uh, so are we ready to go?" I asked, forcing myself to look back up again.

"I need to borrow some clothes. Don't get me wrong, I think I can rock this look pretty well but I don't exactly want to get arrested for indecent exposure," he joked, his face breaking into a grin.

"Yeah, probably best to avoid that. Come with me, my dad's stuff should fit you," I said, glad he broke the tension as I stepped passed him towards my parents' room. My parents' room was decorated humbly, soft colour tones and hues with classic, almost antique-looking furniture. I was used to seeing the bed made as my parents didn't sleep, but somehow the image of the unruffled blanket made me uncomfortable. It was just another slap in the face about the fact that they were gone- for how long I didn't know, and that worried me. Alice's vision weren't perfect but she could usually tell me what to expect. Not this time.

I pulled open the wardrobe door and stepped inside it to the small room containing their clothes. It took some scavenging but I finally managed to hunt down a pair of dark jeans and a midnight blue button down shirt, similar to the shirt Cameron was currently wearing. He didn't made any protests as I was picking them so I guessed there were alright for him. I pointed him to a pair of Converse shoes in my dad's foot chest and he grabbed them along with a pair of socks. We left my parents room and I slipped downstairs to wait on him while he changed.

It only took him a minute to reappear before me dressed in the clothes I'd picked out. He looked amazing, the blue setting off the sun-streaked parts of his hair. Half of me wanted to tell him how great I thought he looked but the somewhat more sane part reminded the other half to shut her mouth before she said something ridiculous and embarrassing.

"Let's hit the road. Uh, you can drive right?" Cameron said, regarding me quizzically. I raised my eyebrows at him and drew the car key out of my pocket, dangling the trademark Lamborghinicar key in front of him. He moved to snatch it out of my hand and I jolted back a step, keeping the key locked in my fist as he tried to pull it away from me.

"Uh uh uh," I scolded him and he frowned at me. "You inferred I couldn't drive and just for that, you get shotgun," I announced, watching as his face transformed into a knowing smirk.

"It's a _Lamborghini_, not even a girl would crash that. What kind is it?" he asked with excitement in his voice.

"It's the _Revent__ó__n_ and it's my baby," I told him as I stepped out the front door. He followed after me and I locked the front door behind us, better safe than sorry.

"The _Revent__ó__n_? There's only supposed to be twenty of those in the world," he breathed, his voice awed.

"It was my 'growing up' present. The day I reached full maturity, the Cullens bought me the car," I smiled as I remembered the unveiling of my beast.

There was a short pathway down the side of the house leading to a car port. My shining black car stood out like a sore thumb next to the silver Volvo and I gazed proudly at the tinted windows. I unlocked the car and we both got in our respective sides and put the key in the ignition, delighted in the sound of the car starting. The purr of the engine surrounded us and I glanced at him to see him gazing devotedly at the dashboard. I revved the engine a few times before pulling out of the spot, unable to help the smug smile I gave Cameron as he acknowledged the speed, the power.

"So, where are we going?" I asked as I tore down the driveway at reckless speed.

"If you don't kill us, this is, then I want you to take the highway south," he directed me, unknowingly adding to my knowledge of him; he obviously wasn't nomadic, he'd lived in society before and knew how humans functioned.

"And from there?"

"What is it about the concept of 'surprise' that you don't understand?" he asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"I don't like secrets," I muttered under my breath as I turned left onto the highway.

"So, what's your mom like?" he asked randomly after a few moments of silence.

"She's great. We get on really well, like sisters," I replied woodenly, really not wanting to go there.

"What's your favourite memory of her?" he pressed and I tightened my hands reflexively on the wheel.

"I'm not sure. Look, can we not talk about this right now, it's just a little… I'm a little…" I took a deep breath and tried to steady my hands. I knew he hadn't meant to bother me but talking about my mother so soon after she'd left me had begun to dig at me more than I appreciated.

Cameron went silent, seeming to understand my hesitation about the subject. There was an uneasy silence in the car and he only broke it once to tell me when to turn. We drove for nearly a half hour, passing houses and entering a more larger town than Lytton called Woodford. I'd been there once before and could barely remember why I had. I recalled that the place had a sizeable mall that I'd always wanted to visit but other than that, I couldn't think why he'd brought me there. It was just another corner of coastal Oregon.

"Turn left here and drive until you see the ocean," he instructed as we came to a set of lights. I nodded once, throwing a puzzled look at him. He smiled back and I sensed him hiding something. Another fifteen minutes and then we were at the ocean. There was a dirt road running beside it about thirty feet back. Cameron told me to drive along it until he told me to stop.

About ten minutes into the drive I spotted a small cottage near the water. It was quaint and picturesque, placed precariously on the rocks by the sea, it didn't look like anyone lived there. The mid afternoon sun streamed down and glanced off the water, reflecting back up onto the sandy walls, giving the small dwelling a mythical look. It had a tin roof and I imagined that when it rained, the sound of the sea crashing and water pounding on the ceiling would be almost overwhelming. I sighed at the beautiful sight and Cameron's lips turned up at the corners.

"That's the place," he told me as we came across a driveway that led to the cottage I'd been staring at. I glanced at him in delighted surprise, pleased that I was going to have the chance to get a closer look. He grinned back, seeming pleased that I liked the look of the place. I let the engine idle to a stop just outside the cottage, back from the sea, and got out. I shut my door carefully behind me, feeling that if I made any sudden noises the place would disappear. It reminded me distantly of the small, cottage home that I'd lived in with my parents in Forks. The size of this one was slightly smaller and the fact that it was by the sea rather than in the woods seemed to light the place up, giving it a much brighter feel than my old home had had.

"What is this place?" I asked as I stepped closer to the walls, touching my hand to the stone walls almost hesitantly. He didn't answer me, passing straight past me towards the door. He pulled a silver key out of his pocket and opened the wooden door, it creaking slightly as though from lack of use.

"Is this place yours?" I asked, following him inside.

"It was my mother's," he admitted, not meeting my eyes. I suddenly felt horrible about the way I'd acted to him in the car. He'd only been wanting to share in my knowledge of my mother, appreciate with me how lucky I was to have her, and I'd basically snapped at him. I opened my mouth to speak but he reached over and put a finger on my lips, silencing me.

"Don't say it. I shouldn't have brought up your mom like that, it was insensitive," he apologized. I stared back at him and eventually nodded. He removed his fingers, telling me with his eyes not to say anything. I nodded and looked away from him to examine the interior of the room.

There was a small bed made up with a crocheted quilt in the corner and next to it was a small bedside table that looked like it had been made from driftwood. The floor was wood panelled and the same colour as the table, surprisingly not giving a washed out effect like I thought it would, serving only to make the room seem larger. There was a small kitchen area consisting of an old fashioned oven, gas cook top and kitchen table. There was no refrigerator and the space that had been left for one currently held a large plastic plant. There was a door leading to what I guessed was a bathroom, but other than that, the room was bare. No photos, keepsakes, knickknacks, rugs. Nothing.

"Did you ever live here?" I asked gently, wondering if maybe he didn't want to talk about it.

"For a time. Mostly while I was growing up, but not recently," he explained, his tone nostalgic.

"Why… why did you bring me here?"

"I'm not sure. I was coming here when I got injured but... I just didn't feel like coming here alone," he told me as he looked away. I nodded slowly and stepped back outside to examine the house some more.

I spent a few quiet minutes looking at the beautiful garden that bordered the house. Beside the house there was small hill strewn with wildflowers. I peered more closely at it and thought I could see something at the top of it. Unthinkingly, I started up the gentle slope, feeling the sea breeze blowing my hair out behind me.

I gasped when I reached what I'd noticed from the bottom of the hill; it was a grave.

A smooth white headstone lay flat against the earth and a definitive bump in the ground stood out against the grass, forming a small mound. Grass grew over the slightly raised patch of ground and I stood back from it, carefully not standing on it. The tombstone was surprisingly blank and I stared at it in confusion for an immeasurable amount of time. It was only when I heard Cameron's footsteps behind me that I looked up.

"Who… is this your mother's grave?" I asked stupidly, regretting the words the second they were out of my mouth.

"Yes. I can't inscribe the headstone because I don't even know her name. All I know is that she gave her life for me and I love her," he answered simply and I felt a rush of sympathy for him.

"I understand," I told him, wanting desperately to reach out and comfort him but not knowing quite how to- after all, I'd known him less than 24 hours. The fact that I felt an instant connection with him couldn't change that.

We both just stood there for a long moment, staring down at the grave. Eventually I looked up from the ground and walked over to the side of the hill that looked out across the ocean. There was a flat patch of grass there and I sank down onto it to gaze at the sea. The clouds had encroached across the pale blue while I'd been inside and if I looked far enough across the horizon, I could see dark purple clouds approaching; there was a storm coming. It wasn't that surprising, considering the usual weather, but it somehow felt foreboding considering what I'd just seen. I wasn't one to be superstitious but storms and graves didn't seem like a good sign. I sighed and tucked my knees up, resting my head on them.

Cameron approached me and sat quietly beside me and we both stared at the sea, watching the white foam swirl up onto the dry sand, signalling that the tide was coming in.

"My favourite memory of her was when I'd just turned two years old," I spoke softly. "It was my first haircut. My aunt Alice finally convinced mom to cut my hair because it was getting so long," I began, smiling ruefully as I recalled the memory. I looked up at him, wondering if he'd gone through the same hair problem I had; with our fast growth, our hair grew too fast and was always going to be disproportionate to our appearance. I still had to cut mine once a month to keep it a reasonable length.

"Anyway, Alice tried all these different styles: fringes, straight, side parts, you name it- she did it to my hair. Eventually, mom got so sick of letting Alice have free reign over the scissors, she took them off her and, naturally, Alice tried her usual whining. Instead of giving back the scissors, mom took the scissors and, just to annoy Alice, she cut most of my hair off so she wouldn't keep playing with it. Alice was devastated and wouldn't talk to her for a week. I didn't really think it was funny at the time because I loved having long hair, but now I look back I can see the humour in it," I smiled as Cameron laughed gently. "I had a bob for about two weeks and then it was pretty much back to normal again," I finished, running my hand subconsciously through my hair.

"Your hair is an interesting colour, you know," he pointed out, looking at where my fingers twirled a few locks.

"I don't know what to call it. Bronze or brown? Copper? It's the same colour as my dad's…" I told him, frowning again when I remembered they were gone. It was such a strange, empty feeling that filled me when I thought of them, of what they were doing at that second. "Do you know your father?" I asked Cameron, turning to face him and shivering as a sudden breeze picked up.

"No. I hope I never meet him either," he replied, his voice angry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" I began but he spoke across me.

"Don't worry about it…. You're cold, we should probably get going now," he said, nodding pointedly in the direction of the progressively angry sea, the dark clouds that bordered the horizon. I followed his gaze, surprised by how fast the sky had darkened during my story. I nodded once and we both went back to the car, crossing the hill past the silent grave as we did so.

Once we were both seated, I started the car and began to pull out of the small driveway, glancing once over my shoulder at the small hill backgrounded by stormy sky. I could see the slightly raised mound of dirt and shivered once, turning my eyes back to th road. Cameron reached out and fiddled with the radio, settling on a station playing some of the latest pop songs. I held back a grimace but I mustn't have been terribly convincing because he glanced at me with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Nothing it's just… I mean, seriously? You like this stuff?" I asked, unable to keep the incredulous note out of my voice.

"Of course not, but I didn't know what you liked so I just picked a random station," he defended, smirking at me.

"Do I look like the kind of girl who would be into this stuff?" I demanded, making a face at the dashboard where a whiney teenagers voice was coming through the speakers. He was silent for a moment, causing me to glance at him from the corner of my eye. He was looking at me intently, studying me. He was choosing to take my sentence literally. I felt my heart rate pick up and glanced back at the road, paying a lot more attention to it than I usually did.

"No," he answered finally.

"No?"

"You _don't_ look like the type of girl who would be into this kind of music. Tell me then, what music do you like?"

And that started our conversation. We talked bands, artists and more. He was amazingly deep and really knew how to describe things well. His taste was similar to mine; we both liked punk rock and some metal. Neither of us could stand screaming or straight pop. I felt my face light up as we spoke, as we had our first conversation about nothing important. As we drove back through Woodford, my eyes were drawn to the mall and I suddenly had a great idea.

"Hey, you need clothes right? We should stop at the mall," I suggested, my eyes twinkling with excitement. I hated shopping for myself, but shopping for other people….

"I guess so," he replied, shaking his head as he smiled at my expression.

"Good boy," I laughed as I turned into the car park. I thought about parking in the underground section, but decided we would probably be in and out of there before the storm began. Cameron raised his eyebrows at me as I turned the engine off.

"You just want to show off your car, don't you?" he asked.

"What? Me? Show off? _Never_," I laughed as we both climbed out and he smiled back, shaking his head.

The mall was busier than I'd thought it would be and when I turned to Cameron to ask if he wanted to come back another day, I spotted a group of girls from school looking at us. Not just any group of girls either, it was _the_ group. In high school, everyone has a group they just don't get on with- these girls were that group.

Every day at school they would call things out to me, and I damn well knew it was because they were jealous of me, of the attention I got because of my looks, but I always ignored them. The vampiric half of me was usually repressing some kind of violent urge towards them and the human half was never that far behind. One of them was Mr Trethewey's daughter, Morgan, and she was just as disagreeable as her father. She had sickly brown coloured hair that would never quite match the roots, a pointed nose and a petty grudge against me.

"Uh, Cameron, let's go this way now," I said, glancing uneasily at them; they were all grinning widely and walking over to us.

"Why?" he replied just as Morgan waved and flashed me a big, false smile. I sighed and flicked my wrist once in their direction, barely even a wave, but that seemed to spur them on.

"Hey _Nessie_," one with a badly done blonde dye job said.

"Who's this?" Morgan cooed before I could reply, looking Cameron up and down as the group came to a stop beside us. My hand fisted by my side when she did that and she eyed it maliciously.

"Uh, Cameron, Morgan, Morgan, Cameron," I introduced them, forgetting the other girls' names.

"Hey there Cameron," she replied flashing him a seductive smile.

"Nice to meet you," Cameron replied politely, flashing an uncertain glance in my direction. I just shrugged back at him and silently prayed to whoever the hell was up there that the group of girls would leave soon. I knew they were going to make a big deal out of this, I knew it the second I saw them.

"So, are you Nessie's cousin?" she asked, throwing a mocking glance in my direction that seemed to say: _As if he'd be with you any other way._

"Uh, no," Cameron answered, looking more bemused by the second.

"So, you're new in town? I think I'd remember if I saw you before," Morgan continued, stretching with a fake yawn that made the front of her shirt ride up, exposing her stomach. I fought back an impulsive growl and glared at the floor, knowing I couldn't do anything about it. Her flirting with him shouldn't bother me that much, but it did and I knew she could tell. She was painfully dumb as far as humans went but obviously all her time spent reading magazines in class made her knowledgeable about some things.

"You could say that," Cameron replied, looking uncertainly back and forth between me and Morgan.

"Hey, well I should give you my number, maybe I could give you a tour sometime. I know _all_ the cool places around here, some of the things maybe Nessie here wouldn't be able to show you," Morgan offered, her voice thick with the double meaning.

To my surprise Cameron put an arm around my waist and drew me close to him, squeezing me lightly.

"Just go with it," he whispered lightly under his breath, so low the humans wouldn't be able to hear it.

"Gee, that's real nice of you Morgan but I think Nessie's already covered just about everything I _want_ to see," he said, rejecting her with his words. Her face paled and she tried to cover it up with false bravado.

"Sure, but maybe I should give you that number. You know, just in case?" she said, practically begging. I smiled as she squirmed.

"I think I'll be fine, thanks anyway though," Cameron turned her down a second time.

"Uh, fine, whatever," she stammered, her face turning flushed. She glanced at her group, looking for support and the one that had spoken earlier, the dyed blonde, piped up.

"So Nessie, you weren't in school today. Too busy _showing Cameron around_?" she said, her voice thick with implications.

"Yeah, actually, my dad mentioned he saw you yesterday. But then all the teachers at school seemed to think you were on vacation with your family in Santa Monica?" Morgan added, her confidence rising back up with a vengeance.

"Your cousins called the school to say you were going away, yet here you are…" another of the girls in the group added, smirking wickedly at me. _Great_- now if I didn't go to school they were gunna' bust my ass. But my parents had told me not to…. Dammit.

"No, I chose to stay behind. But I'll be back tomorrow," I said, defiantly glaring at them, daring one of them challenge my words.

"_Great_. How about you Cameron? Are you sticking around to go to school?" Morgan asked snidely.

"Sure. When we're done here, we're going to enrol," he answered and I tried to keep the shock from showing on my expression.

"And what are you two doing here? Buying a present for your grandma?" Morgan asked, deliberately trying to push the 'cousin' angle again just to annoy me.

"I told you, we're not cousins. Far from it," he smirked, pulling me in front of him, wrapping his arms across me and holding me against him. I smiled, but not even to annoy Morgan, just because. She must have thought I was, however, and that seemed to push her over the edge.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then," Morgan said, storming off. The girls followed her like loyal dogs but I could swear I saw one of them repressing laughter. I giggled, turning to face Cameron as he dropped his arms.

"Do you realise that's the second time since I've met you that you've had to pose as my boyfriend?" I laughed.

"I didn't realise actually, what a coincidence. Let's see if we can avoid a third today?" he chuckled, staring into my eyes. I stared back for a few seconds, immersed in the pools of grey, before I snapped out of it and started stammering about clothes for him.

We shopped for nearly an hour, browsing the menswear stores and laughing about Morgan and the others. He picked his own clothes, sometimes following my suggestions, and I paid for it all with my credit card. We ended up buying about ten shirt-and-pant combinations, a pair of sneakers, a pair of flip flops and a jacket. I gave him some cash to buy his own underwear, sensing he wouldn't want me there for that, and went to look for dinner. We'd decided to eat dinner in the food court at the mall since it was going on seven o'clock and we still had a small drive back to Lytton.

I was waiting in line at the take away Chinese place when I heard my name spoken across the large, crowded space.

"Renesmee's so damn hot. Shame she doesn't date… If she did, I would be _all_ over that," the male voice said. I fidgeted with the hem of my blouse, recognizing the voice immediately. It was Kyle. He was a senior at my school and was constantly making unsavoury comments about me. I could sense his eyes on me, checking me out, and I wanted desperately to tell him to back the hell off but a human wouldn't have been able to hear what he said so I could hardly bring up what I shouldn't have heard.

"Look at that sweet little ass," a voice of his friend added and they all laughed. I stiffened reflexively and felt my cheeks turn red. Someone suddenly grabbed my shoulder from behind and I whirled around, surprised they'd been able to sneak up on me. Wait- it was just Cameron. That explained the silent approach. It took me a second to notice that his expression was livid with anger.

"What's wrong?" I asked, meeting his gaze uncertainly.

"They shouldn't be talking about you like that. It's disrespectful," he replied, his gaze flickering to the group of boys across the food court.

"They do it all the time, don't worry about it," I told him, shrugging. Deep down I felt pleased that he wanted to stick up for me, but the more reasonable part knew there would be no point saying anything to stupid guys like that as it wouldn't stop them. Knowing my luck, it would probably only encourage them.

"Whatever," he replied, his tone harsh. I flinched but it was our turn to order then so I didn't have to say anything. We sat opposite each other, eating our food in silence. Normally, I would have made comment on his terrible use of the disposable chopsticks, but I didn't. I sensed he just didn't want to hear from me right then and I didn't really understand why, but I knew enough about signals to be able to tell when someone was pissed off.

He finished his meal before me and I eventually gave up and pushed my plate away from me. The food hadn't tasted that great anyway.

We gathered up all our shopping bags and left the food court, neither of us saying anything. Thankfully, Kyle and his friends had left so I didn't have to endure any more of their horrible words. Cameron seemed to have calmed down but I didn't want to be the one to break the silence so it was in silence we remained.

When we reached the outdoor car park, I could just barely distinguish the dark purple clouds from the darkening night sky and I turned to tell Cameron we should probably hurry up when I noticed someone move in my peripherals. Kyle and his rowdy group of friends from earlier. Godamnit couldn't he just leave me alone? Cameron didn't appear to notice them approaching until Kyle called out my name. I spun around to face them completely, my face blank.

"Hey Renesmee, how are you?" he asked, his eyes travelling obviously down my body. I blushed and squirmed uncomfortably as he exchanged amused glances with his friends.

"Yeah I'm fine. I gotta' go now, bye," I replied, turning back in the direction we'd been heading, wishing they would drop it and leave me alone. I could hear them laughing and more foul words slip from their mouths at a level I wished my sensitive ears didn't pick up on. I took a few steps before I noticed that Cameron wasn't following me. He was frozen, glaring at Kyle and the others.

"What's your problem, buddy?" I heard Kyle ask in a rude voice.

"Apologize," Cameron ordered him, his tone deadly serious.

"What the hell? For what?"

"Don't make me ask again, do it, _now_," Cameron said, his voice deadly.

"Hey, I don't know where you get off telling me what to-" Kyle started to speak but before he could even finish his sentence Cameron was behind him, pulling his arm up behind him in an uncomfortable position.

"Apologize you worthless piece of crap," Cameron demanded, pulling Kyle's arm up even higher until he cried out in pain. None of his friends moved to help him, all seeming too shocked to move. Kyle was captain of the varsity football team, for some random guy to be able to knock him round with so much force was no doubt overwhelming to them. If I hadn't experience Cameron's strength first-hand, I probably would've reacted the same way.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Kyle finally cracked and Cameron released him, letting him stagger away.

"If I catch you talking about her that way again I _will_ kill you," he threatened suddenly and I felt my mouth drop open. The word 'kill' snapped me out of my trance and I stepped forward to grab Cameron's arm before he really hurt someone.

"He doesn't mean it," I assured the stunned group of boys, using all of my strength to hold onto Cameron's arm. As strong as he was compared to Kyle, I was ten times stronger than Kyle and my grip would have to hurt at least a little. His eyes flashed down to meet mine and they were full of anger and fire. I stared back at him and sent my thoughts to him. _Cameron, don't do it. They're not worth it, just let it go_, I told him. We locked gazes for another few seconds before his expression finally softened some.

"Freak," Kyle muttered under his breath as he and his friends left. I was worried that it would set Cameron off again but he didn't seem to notice. I smiled ruefully and picked up my abandoned shopping bags, unlocking my car with the remote button. We loaded the bags into the trunk and then he held out his hand expectantly with one eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"I'm driving this time," he stated, his tone once more warm and glinting with amusement. I was so pleased he was no longer angry that I passed the keys to him without hesitation. Our skin touched briefly and it felt like a spark touched between us. I glanced down at our palms and he did the same. _I wonder if he felt it too?_ I asked myself, feeling the warmth spread through me.

"Come on, I've been dying to try this baby out all afternoon," he announced, stepping away and sliding into the driver's side. I opened my door and laughed as I buckled my seat belt. He eyed the strip of plastic with an incredulous look in his eyes.

"Don't you trust me?"

"'Uh, you can drive right?'" I quoted him, smiling at his expression as I unbuckled my seat belt, pretending to hesitate.

Without a second's warning, he slammed the car into reverse, and pulled out of the spot, narrowly missing a yellow Mazda that happened to be in the way and doing a complete turn. He changed gears swiftly without even looking down, tearing through the almost deserted car park at a reckless speed and I was thrown back in my seat. I was a fast, sometimes careless driver, but _Cameron_? He gave reckless a new name. We sped out onto the highway and stopped at a red light. He smirked at me as he revved the engine a few times and I fumbled with my seatbelt and put it back on.

"Hey, I thought u said you trusted me?" he said, looking jokingly offended.

"I do trust you- when you're not controlling a car with over 640 horsepower." He laughed at my clarification and I couldn't help but smile back, pleased he was back to normal. The rest of the drive we chatted aimlessly about music, cars, anything that wasn't to do with what had happened at the mall. Only when he brought up going to school did I start to panic a little.

"You _did_ tell Morgan and her friends we would both be there tomorrow…" he trailed off, sounding unsure.

"Yeah, I totally messed up. They were baiting me and I fell for it," I muttered, disappointed with myself.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Do you want to call your parents when we get back and ask them?"

"Mhmm," I replied, tapping my fingers restlessly against my knees. He suddenly reached over and touched the braided bracelet wrapped around my wrist. It was a gift Jake had given me when for my first Christmas when I was a baby. It was the equivalent of a promise ring and even though I'd rejected him romantically, I still always wore it because it made me feel closer to him. It was beautiful and weaved out of bright happy colours, colours that reminded me of Jacob.

"It's a bracelet Jacob gave me when I was little," I explained, smiling.

"Hm, looks nice," Cameron replied, his tone changing suddenly. I frowned, confused, but he said no more so I didn't question him about it.

It didn't take us long to be pulling into the driveway and I noticed straight away that something was wrong. There was a car parked in the driveway. We both stared at it, still sitting in the car, neither of us breathing, and then I recognised it.

"It's alright, it's just my friend Sasha's car," I said, finally exhaling. Half vampires could live without oxygen for longer than humans could- the longest I'd ever gone was ten minutes- but that didn't mean it was an entirely comfortable experience.

"Should I be here?" he asked as we for out of the car and locked it up.

"If you leave now, I will find you later and kill you. You're _not_ leaving me alone with her," I demanded, begging him to stay. If my guess was right- and it very likely was- the reason Sasha was there was to meet him, probably having heard from Morgan's crowd.

"Sure, I'll stay. She's here to meet your new boyfriend right?" he smirked, tossing me back my keys as we walked the path towards the house.

"Yep. I guess we failed on the 'let's not try this again today' idea, huh?" I said.

"Oh well. Like they say- the third time's the charm," he replied, grinning. It shouldn't have made me happy that we were forced to pretend to be together. It really shouldn't.

But it did.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Twilight and, unfortunately, no amount of Fanfic will ever make that so . 

Oh thankyou BETA! Only you would drop everything to get online and help my sorry ass out with a fanfic, thanks a bunch Nicarla! 

This may get a little confusing with the POV changes but hopefully everyone will catch on. Review me any questions you may have 

-Chapter 5-

**Renesmee POV**

"I thought she would never leave," I grumbled, sinking onto the couch. Cameron laughed wearily and sat down beside me, throwing himself back against the cushions and sighing loudly.

"Does she always talk that much?" he asked, opening one eye to peer at me.

"Yep. I don't know how the hell she does it, but she does," I laughed weakly, tired from the past hour's events. Sasha had thoroughly overstayed her welcome, asking millions of questions and several times trying to lead me away to help her 'fix her eyeliner' or some other fake problem so she could ask me private questions about him. Pretending to still be in the 'new/awkward' phase of our relationship, Cameron and I had just sat side by side on the couch and that had seemed to be enough to convince Sasha.

"So… school tomorrow?" he asked after a few comfortably quiet moments.

"You don't have to you know," I told him.

"I told your parents I'd protect you and I can hardly do that if you're at school all day without me," he chuckled but his words sent a shock through me.

"That reminds me, I should ring mom and dad," I said, quickly bouncing to my feet. I wanted to hear their voices again, to know that they were safe. I grabbed the phone near the kitchen and slumped against the wall as I dialled my dad's cell.

Once.

Twice.

Three times the phone rang. I froze immediately, wondering why he wasn't answering. Vampires were so fast there was no chance he was running to the phone still. With his powerful vampire hearing, there was no way he hadn't heard it ringing. Hell, Alice should have seen me calling and answered before the first ring. She hadn't, and I didn't know what that meant. I blinked once and pressed the 'end' button.

My father had never let his phone go to message bank. He always answered. Always.

I dialled the number again with disbelieving, numb fingers, my mind roaming over all the terrible possibilities. My family, torn into pieces, screaming, burning, dying….

I shuddered and let the phone dial me through again. It rang again, and still no answer. My hand froze holding the phone. "No," I whispered, feeling my breathing spike. I shut my eyes for a few seconds, trying to clear the dizziness that had suddenly hazed over my brain. When I opened my eyes Cameron was standing in front of me looking concerned.

We were both silent while my father's simple message bank sounded ominously from the tiny speaker through the stillness that had crept over the room. I heard the beep but I couldn't make my mouth move to form words. A full five seconds went by and then Cameron gently reached out and took the phone off me, placing it to his ear.

"Mr Cullen, this is Cameron calling. Nessie's not quite sure why you didn't answer your phone but was just calling to let you know that complications have arisen and we will both be attending school from tomorrow. Please call when you get this message, in the meantime, I'll protect her," was all he said before pressing the 'end' button on the phone. My body had never failed me before, it had never been physically overcome, but suddenly I couldn't feel my legs. The world was abruptly unfocused and there was a blackness inside me that pulled my mind in millions of different directions at once. It felt like I was coming apart at the seams. I fell to the ground, my legs crumpling beneath me. I didn't realize I was fainting until I felt the cold tiles beneath my face.

***

**Cameron POV**

Crap- she'd just fainted. I stood there, stunned as I looked at her unconscious body slumped on the floor in front of me. I'd never been in the presence of anyone when they fainted and part of me hadn't really accepted it; she was part vampire and therefore supposed to be immune to human frailties like fainting. As I'd seen her falling to the ground, panic had gripped me but I'd remained frozen. _Catch her you jerk!_ My subconscious had screamed at me, but I'd hesitated, not wanting to touch her. Every time I'd touched her during the day I'd felt it. That damn spark.

After what felt like an age, I finally snapped into action, kneeling on the floor beside her. I briefly thought through my options, deciding that I should try and move her to the couch or something. I tried to ignore how beautiful and peaceful she looked but I found my expression softening without my permission for it to do so as I gazed down at her. I shook my head quickly once to myself, trying to return to the task at hand. She was hurt and I was thinking about her _body_?

Since when had I turned into a pervert?

I'd seen many women in my life and whilst it was true that none of them could come close to Renesmee's beauty, I had never even felt a shard of what I was going through right then. Attraction wasn't something that I had experienced before and I cursed whoever the hell was responsible for making this girl the target of it. While I was thinking, my eyes had unconsciously slid from her face down her unconscious form. I mentally slapped myself as soon as I realised what I was doing.

I was really not much better than the human men from the shopping center. My blood boiled when I thought about the things they'd said about her. What made me madder still was that she'd been in hearing range when they'd said it. I'd watched her and I knew she could hear them. She'd blushed and her posture went rigid, sparking my temper immediately. Those jerks had made her upset. She was so damn beautiful, and I couldn't blame them for noticing that when I was thinking the same thing, but they were treating her like a piece of meat. Rather than go up to them and confront them about it like I wanted to, I'd returned to her and of course my bad mood had been inflicted on her. I'd snapped at her and we'd eaten our dinner in silence, the whole time I mentally cursed myself for acting like such a jerk.

With a grimace, I clenched my fists once but then retuned my thoughts to the task at hand. She needed me.

I slipped my arms under her, and lifted her off the floor. Her head rolled back and her lips parted slightly. She exhaled and the sweet smell of her breath nearly made my knees buckle. I tightened my grip on her and focused my attention on not looking at her lips. As I held her onto her light form, her warmth invaded my head. I could barely remember why I was carrying her but all I knew was that while she was in my arms, everything in me was on fire.

I held her gently and walked over to the couch, but then decided that since it was late anyway, I would just take her to her room. I climbed the stairs slowly so as not to jostle her, my eyes never leaving her face. I kicked her door open and walked over to the bed, lowering her gently onto it. She didn't stir once and I hesitated before reaching over and touching my hand to her forehead. She had a normal temperature, but weren't you supposed to put water on people's faces to revive them? I quickly went to her bathroom and found a cloth, running it under the cold stream of the tap.

When I returned, I faltered slightly before laying the cloth gently across her forehead. She didn't stir and I had no clue what to do. I briefly considered calling 911 before reality sent me back to square one. A half vampire couldn't go to a human hospital.

I sat gently on the edge of her bed, feeling increasingly anxious while she lay there, unresponsive. In my opinion, the worst feeling in the world was helplessness.

"Nessie? Wake up for me, come on, open your eyes," I said, leaning over her to see if I could distinguish a reaction in her face. She didn't move and I seriously considered the hospital option again. "Renesmee, please wake up," I murmured softly, more to myself than her.

I reached down and grasped her fingers gently with my own and flinched when something happened. I could hear her voice in my mind, but it was dreamlike and sounded far away, but it was definitely _there_. I let go of her hand and the voice went away. Hesitantly, I grasped her fingers again and the voice picked back up. I held her hand and listened carefully, eventually seeing faint images dance around my head to accompany her voice.

I sat in stunned silence for a short moment before it finally clicked; she was showing me her thoughts in her sleep. I didn't think she was doing it intentionally; it didn't seem like she could control it when she was asleep. I felt like some kind of pervert as I sat beside her unconscious form, intruding on her thoughts, but I couldn't seem to help myself. I wondered if this was how her telepathic father felt all the time? I'd never heard another person's thoughts- my vampiric power was physical- but I in that moment I wanted to know everything she thought. She had a soft, warm hand and eventually I found my free hand reaching to touch her other one. The second our skin made contact, the sounds and images came together to form coherent words and thoughts.

I shuddered when I saw what she was thinking about. There was blood and violence, death a destruction. I could see flaming pyres and sickly smoke twirling in the breeze. She was picturing the death of her family. I suddenly realised why she'd fainted. When her father hadn't answered the phone, she'd overwhelmed herself with 'what ifs'.

It sickened me how close she was to the truth. She didn't know it, but I did and the knowledge plagued me with constant anxiety. Releasing her hands, I relinquished thoughts of my guilt, remembering why I was doing this. For Carolina.

I stood up from the bed and went to the corner of her room. Dragging a chair across the carpet, I pulled it up at her bedside and settled myself in for a long night. I didn't know when or if she would wake up but I wouldn't shut my eyes until she opened hers. I sank back into my chair, trying not to let the images Renesmee's mind had conjured enter my thoughts because I knew that if I thought about it enough I would start seeing other bodies being burned. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if the small blonde girl I cared for was one of those bodies.

I remembered the day that I'd come across her, the tiny child curled up by the roadside. I'd been living a mostly nomadic life for 15 years before I found Carolina.

_I wandered the deserted highway alone, running when I couldn't be seen by humans. I'd had many people pull over and offer me a ride, most often by women who were attracted by my looks, but I'd declined. I couldn't be trusted around humans. If they made the mistake of trusting me I would only end up hurting them._

_I ran straight along, not stopping until I spotted something in the distance in my path. What looked like a small bundle of rags was laying on the edge of the road. My first instinct told me that it was simply rubbish that a careless human had left behind and I sprinted straight past it, not even looking back, until I heard a low whine. My steps faltered and I cocked my head back in the direction I'd been running from. As my eyes peered across the level planes of the North Dakota wilderness, I spotted something move and my reflex reaction was to step closer. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed like it was the small bundle I'd passed that had made the sound. _

_And then, from the rags, a head with golden curls popped up and a small face peered at me with puzzled blue eyes. It was a human child. She looked only five or six years old and wore a bewildered expression. _

"_Hewwo," the small girl's voice chimed brightly as she tried to stand up. She was wearing a yellow and white dress that had stains all over it. Blood stains. I was standing ten feet away from her but I could smell the blood clearly. It was fresh. I stiffened reflexively when the girl finally managed to get to her feet. She swayed unsteadily on her dirty, bare feet but looked up at me proudly when she was finally upright and balanced. _

"_I'm Caro-caro-leeeena," she announced, holding out a small hand to me. I hadn't spoken a word but she seemed to take my silence as acceptance. Hesitantly, I stepped closer to her, reaching my own hand out to her, transfixed by her smile. When I was only a foot or so away she leaned forward and closed the distance between us, grasping my hand in both of hers. They were so small, her delicate little fingers wrapping around my hands softly and deliberately. She pulled my hand to her face and shut her eyes while she pressed my palm against her cheek. _

_I smiled helplessly and knelt on the ground in front of her so we were eye to eye. She released my hand and giggled, a cute high pitched sound of pure wonder. _

"_Hello Carolina, I'm Cameron. Where's your mommy and daddy?" I asked her, wondering how the hell she'd ended up alone on a highway in the middle of nowhere._

"_Momma dwopped me off here before. I hope she gunna' come back soon," she said, her wide blue eyes turning contemplative. _

"_Why did your mommy leave you here?" I asked, thoroughly bemused how any parent could leave their child by the roadside. _

"_Because daddy told her to. Momma didn't want to but daddy got real mad," she replied matter- of-factly. I froze for a moment, unable to comprehend what I was hearing. From what it sounded like, the sweet little girl in front of me had been abandoned by her parents. The blood stains on her dress suddenly held new meaning to me as I realised she'd been most likely been abused by her parents. I felt rage awaken within me and focused hard to keep it at bay while I found out all I could about her. _

"_What's your last name?" I asked, suddenly determined that I was going to help her. I could take her to the nearest police station. To my surprise, she shrugged and waved her hands around her head. _

"_I don't know," she exclaimed. I frowned as I considered what I could do. I couldn't leave her there, I _couldn't _do it. She was so sweet an innocent that if I left her there I would be no better than her parents. I knew what it felt like to be abandoned and I would not willingly leave another person in that situation. I quickly scrapped any plans of going to the police station, knowing they would ask too many questions, questions I couldn't answer. I didn't have social security number, a drivers license or even a birth certificate. As far as the government was concerned, I didn't exist. _

_From the sounds of it, Carolina didn't know she'd been abandoned and would probably wait by the road all night long for her mom, who I knew would never return. I glanced around the desolate highway and my hand fisted by my side; surely her mother had to have known what a dodgy part of the state this was. Paedophiles or child traffickers would likely pick Carolina up before night had even fallen._

_I stood up and offered my hand to the small girl. She stared at it for a short moment before she took it and looked up at me. Her round, blue eyes were filled with unconditional trust and acceptance. I'd never known that feeling from another person before and It only made me more decided. I wanted to take her to a foster home but something in me had latched onto her and I didn't think I would willingly let her go. I could take her with me on my travels, adopt her as my sister. It seemed I was no longer doomed to spend eternity alone. For the time being, the small girl in front of me and I would not-exist together. _

I blinked once, coming out of my reverie, my mind returning to Renesmee's bedroom. I sighed when I realised she still hadn't moved.

"Nessie…. Come on, wake up," I muttered, unconsciously reaching out and taking her hand again. Her thoughts had changed to a more pleasant channel, apparently, because I could sense a new calm coming from her. I could see her car amidst other images in her mind.

Kittens? She hadn't struck me as the type that would be into fluffy animals but hey, I'd only known her a day. The next image made me gasp silently, I let go of her hand and stared at my palm in shock.

It was me. She was dreaming about me. And it was a good dream. I'd caught that clear enough from the image I'd seen.

No.

I couldn't let things be like this. I couldn't be her friend. I'd been told I needed to gain her trust, but no one had ever specified how I was supposed to do that whilst keeping myself aloof and above it. I couldn't afford to become friends with this girl. She was nothing but a piece of the puzzle to getting Carolina back from the Volturi. If I let myself care about her, then how was I supposed to survive being a part of what was going to happen to her? How was I supposed to betray her in the way I had to?

I hesitated only briefly before I got to my feet, flipped the cloth on Renesmee's head over and silently left the room. I would check on her through the night, but I wouldn't be able to bear sitting beside her while she dreamt of me, let herself get closer to me. I couldn't let that happen.

**Renesmee POV**

I moaned softly, moving my hand to my head and rubbing the side of it groggily. My head felt light and black spots danced behind my eyes when I tried to sit up. I lay still for a few seconds, letting my senses have free reign as I tried to find out more about my situation without sitting up. I could tell I was still wearing my jeans and blouse and no light burned in front of my lids so it was obviously still night time. The surface beneath me was soft and I traced a swirl pattern with my index finger- I was on my bed. How had I gotten here?

I panicked slightly and sat up from my bed, managing to fight the strange sensations in my head long enough to get upright. A damp washcloth fell from my forehead and landed in my lap. I picked it up with my hands and looked at it curiously, recognising it as one from my own bathroom. I swung my legs off the side of my bed and got to my feet. The blood rushed down to them and my vampiric half seemed to take over slightly, taking the wheel, so to speak, while the human half recovered.

I'd fainted, that much I could remember. I remembered the missed call, tiles and then….. nothing. My family… the ringing in my head suddenly intensified and I felt the worry and panic grip me. Daddy hadn't answered his phone….

I stood up and took a stepped towards my door, screaming out loud when I collided suddenly with someone in the door frame. A strong hand grabbed me by the wrist and another clapped over my mouth to stop me screaming. I did, and because my nerves were already so stretched, I reacted violently and instinctively, breaking out of the grip and leaning into a crouch. A loud snarl escaped my mouth and I glared into the darkness, waiting for my eyes to adapt.

"Renesmee!?" Cameron's voice suddenly came out of the darkness. I straightened up immediately, realising I'd just been about to attack him. Again.

"Cameron! Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to. I was just, ah, I'm sorry," I exclaimed, leaning against the door frame and mentally reprimanding myself. Why couldn't I ever just act normal around him?

"It's fine. Are you alright?" he asked, his voice polite and not holding any emotion. I nodded uncertainly and examined his face. It was blank, devoid of anything that I could use to determine his mood. Was he angry at me for attacking him again? I wouldn't blame him if he was.

Before I could even ask, he turned abruptly to go back to the spare room which he'd apparently just vacated.

"Goodnight," he said when he reached his door, shutting it behind him. I stood still for a few seconds, the silence overwhelming me, before I moved. My head still hurt but it was gradually fading away to be replaced by a strange numbness. I blinked irregularly a few times and went downstairs, contemplating what had just happened.

Obviously Cameron had been the one to carry me to my room. I blushed when I thought about that and I wished I'd been conscious to experience it. I shook my head at myself in disgust. My family wasn't answering my calls, something that could only be a bad thing, and I was thinking about Cameron touching me? There was something horribly wrong with me.

I walked into the kitchen and stared at the phone, my eyes locked on the black plastic in a glare so formidable that someone would think it had personally angered me. I huffed a breath and went to the refrigerator, taking out the milk.

After pouring myself a glass, I sat down at the kitchen bench alone, pondering. I tried to expand on the scenarios that had sprung up in my head since the missed call. I struggled to tell myself that I was only exaggerating and letting my imagination get out of control.

The Cullens were a large clan of powerful vampires, it wasn't like the Volturi could have acted so quickly to subdue them. Dad was probably just hunting and had left his phone somewhere he couldn't hear it. Unlikely, but the only option I could come up with that satisfied my desperate need for a positive outcome.

I downed my milk in one, probably making it look like an alcoholic shot. I didn't drink alcohol often, only the very occasional wine when I was in the mood.

I filled ten minutes just puttering around the kitchen, trying to keep my mind on safe and ignorant thoughts. Just as I turned towards the stairs to attempt to get some sleep, I glanced at the phone again, wondering if I should try and call Carlisle. It was unlikely that if dad wasn't answering, Carlisle would be, but it was worth a shot.

A literal second before my hand touched the phone, it rang, breaking the silence in such a way that I let out a half scream. I stifled it quickly, not wanting to wake Cameron up, and snatched the phone off the hook, desperate for a voice belonging to one of my vampire family.

"Nessie?" Alice's voice spoke into the phone, her tone urgent.

"Alice? Yes, I'm here. What's going on? Daddy didn't answer his phone," I began, my tone leaking out the anxiety I was feeling.

"Hush, it's alright. We're safe," she said simply. I let out a sigh of relief, before suddenly something caught up with me. I couldn't be sure but I knew my aunt well and her voice sounded slightly strained, almost forced.

"Then why didn't he answer?"

"We've been busy."

"Where are you? Are you in Volterra?"

"Yes. Nessie," she breathed heavily before continuing, "you have to know something. The Volturi are up to something again. Carlisle and the others are talking with them right now but they don't think it's a good idea that I be there. Aro wants me too badly for us to risk my being there. I'm outside the city walls now and I can see the others returning here soon, unharmed. Nessie, whatever you do, you mustn't come here looking for us. Don't worry about us, just stay in Lytton and stay out of trouble and everything will be-" her voice abruptly cut off. I could hear a fumbling sound on the other end of the line and my heart rate sped as I waited for Alice's voice.

Silence came over the phone and then I distantly heard a name being shouted in the distance. It sounded like Catherine? Carol? Kristina? I couldn't be sure and I strained my ears to listen, fearing for my aunt.

"Alice?" I finally whispered into the phone, terror gripping me as my mind conjured terrible images. The only reply was the dial tone.

I pulled the phone away from my ear, gently and precisely placing it back in its wall cradle. I felt worse than I had when dad had missed the phone call.

As a highly intelligent being with a supernatural power, I was used to knowing everything. I revelled in knowledge, yet at that second I couldn't find anything in myself that was glad of the knowledge Alice had given me.

Now I knew why they called ignorance blissful.

***

I woke from a restless sleep an hour before I would usually leave for school with my parents. I'd had nightmares throughout my sleep; images of pale faces and red eyes felt like they were burned on the back of my eyelids, threatening me every time I shut my eyes, every time I let my guard down.

I dressed for the day in the first things I touched, uncaring and indifferent to my appearance. I entered my spacious bathroom and was only moderately surprised when I smelled Cameron's scent in there. He'd obviously put the damp cloth on my forehead, trying to make me more comfortable, and ordinarily I would have been touched by the gesture. That morning, I found it almost impossible to focus on anything for too long, so I didn't dwell on my new friend's gesture of kindness as I hastily ran a brush through my wavy hair.

I met my eyes in the mirror and was shocked by how pale and drawn I looked. My complexion was never as colourless as a full vampire's, but a pale undertone could always be distinguished in my face, even by humans. My brown eyes had dark circles under them from lack of sleep and I knew that they would remain there until my family and I were reunited. I was so incredibly close to my parents, I was never fully at ease unless I was with them.

Especially my mother. I looked so much like my father, but in personality, I matched her more closely. I loved her best, she was the light in my life. She was the one who'd loved me from the very beginning, even when the others had feared and hated me, she'd been there for me, protecting and loving me when no one else would. I felt an unbearable pang of loneliness in my stomach, turning away from the chocolate brown eyes that had once been hers, and leaving the bathroom.

I slung my book bag over my shoulder and shut my bedroom door behind me, hesitating in the corridor outside the guest room. Cameron had acted so strangely the night before, treating me formally and like a stranger after I'd regained consciousness, that I wondered if maybe he would even be here still. He didn't strike me as the type of person to run off in the night, but then again, I barely knew him.

I took a deep breath, swallowing my apprehension as I knocked softly twice. I heard the sound of yawning and the bed groaning from the other side of the door and couldn't help but notice how my mood lifted when I realised he hadn't left after all.

The door opened slowly and he stood behind it, his eyes blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the morning light. My eyes immediately registered that he slept without a shirt on and I fought furiously to keep my eyes levelled on his face. Of course, his slate grey eyes still adorably half-closed with sleep did little to keep my thoughts on business.

"Um, morning," I greeted him uncertainly, his bizarre attitude from the night before reminding me how much a stranger he was to me.

"Good morning. School already?" he said, laughing. I shrugged and offered a smile of my own, wondering if maybe he was just moody.

"I figured we should probably go a little early; we kinda' need to get you enrolled," I reminded him.

"Ah, good point. Give me five minutes," he requested. I smiled and nodded, proceeding down the stairs.

I put a few slices of bread in the toaster, getting out the jelly for my own and wondering if he would put anything on his toast today. I could hear the shower running upstairs as our breakfast cooked, part of me remembering we'd forgotten to get him toiletry supplies. I noted absently that we would have to stop the store on the way home. I needed to grocery shop anyway. I busied myself making a shopping list, distracting myself from thinking about my family. Alice had told me not to think about them, not to go after them. What more could I do?

Exactly five minutes since I'd entered the kitchen, Cameron emerged down the stairs, his hair damp and sticking up slightly in places. He was wearing one of the outfits we'd bought the day before; jeans and a deep green t-shirt with a black hoodie over it, left unzipped.

I smiled as the toast popped and I placed them on our plates. He grinned and took his straight to the table, bare. I took my time, spreading the jelly out evenly and methodically, noticing that distraction was definitely working better for me than the constant, miserable dwelling had been. I joined him at the table and began eating my toast, watching him discreetly. He glanced at me once or twice while he ate his plain toast and I thought it seemed like he was trying to assess my mood.

I sighed, finally deciding to just speak up and clear the air.

"Alice called last night. She said they're all in Volterra and for me not to worry or go there looking for them," I explained, taking the last bite of my toast.

"I see. And will you listen to her?" he replied, chewing thoughtfully on his breakfast. At first I didn't understand what he meant, but then I realised he was wondering if I would actually follow Alice's advice.

"I trust Alice, she's never led me wrong before. I won't go to Volterra until they tell me to," I stated, feeling my heart sink as I acknowledged my helplessness aloud.

"And the worrying part?" he pressed, leaning towards me slightly across the table.

"What?"

"Nessie, you're a mess. You should trust her, you're family will be better off if you don't get in the way or complicate things. The Volturi are unpredictable and you never know what they could have planned. You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you here," he said, his eyes flashing dangerously and I guessed he was thinking of the guys from the mall the day before.

"Thank you," I murmured, standing and taking my plate to the dishwasher. I bent to place my plate in one of the spaces left and stiffened, my heart rate rising as I felt Cameron crouched beside me, reaching past me to put his own plate in.

Shortly after breakfast, we left the house and walked the path towards the garage. We both stopped immediately, facing both of the cars.

"I don't suppose we can take the Lamborghini to school, can we?" he asked, his eyes burning with longing.

"Much as I'd love to… The Volvo is probably a more practical idea," I replied. He nodded agreeably and I unlocked my dad's car, getting in the driver seat. He got in the passenger side and as I pulled out, I saw his eyes glued to the rear view mirror where he could undoubtedly see the black car. I laughed at the intensity of his gaze and he looked up and smiled sheepishly.

It was strange; when our eyes met, something passed between us, I could feel it. It was close to a physical reaction, but not quite. For me, it was a thrilling feeling, almost like a jolt of electricity. I knew he felt it too because his eyes suddenly changed, but for him it seemed to cause a different reaction. His eyes went from laughing and carefree to troubled and distant in that second and I immediately diverted my attention back to the road. For whatever reason, Cameron was acting strangely and I figured the best way to handle it would be to let him deal with it in his own time.

We arrived at Lytton high about half an hour before classes were supposed to start, parking the plain Volvo amongst the few cars that were already in the student lot. Heading in the direction of the admin building to get Cameron enrolled, I noticed a few students looking up at us, undoubtedly curious about who the new kid was. I smiled and opened my mouth to tell Cameron, but then, remembering his sudden mood change, I shut it again.

The admin office was open and a middle aged woman names Mrs. Parkinson was working the front desk. She looked up from her paperwork, her face bored, and frowned at us; she apparently didn't appreciate the interruption to her filing.

"Good morning Mrs. Parkinson," I greeted her politely, nudging Cameron discreetly with my elbow to tell him to greet the woman.

"Good morning," he said, his voice fluid with politeness.

"What do you want?" she snapped. I sighed; no amount of manners or smiles ever worked with this woman.

"This is a family friend of mine, Cameron. He wishes to be enrolled here during his stay," I explained. Mrs. Parkinson sighed audibly in an annoyed way and turned to the filing cabinet behind her. She rummaged around for nearly a minute before returning to us with a lengthy looking form in her hand.

"How long will you be staying?" she asked in a bored voice. Cameron and I exchanged a quick glance.

"Indefinitely," we said at the same time. I smothered a grin, knowing that would only piss off Mrs. Parkinson and I needed her to be in a good mood.

"Fill these out. Age? I'll need your parent's signature," she ordered, directing her disapproving glance at Cameron. I frowned uneasily, surprised I hadn't considered that obstacle myself.

"I'm seventeen. I'm also emancipated. I can sign for myself," he replied.

She shrugged, muttering under breath, "Whatever, I don't care."

Cameron quickly filled out the form and I leaned against the counter beside him. Curiously, I realised I'd never even asked him his surname. Before I could read it from the paper, he was pushing it back across the desk. Mrs. Parkinson took the forms and began stamping them. She clicked the mouse of her computer a few times and I heard the printer hum. We stood there uncertainly for a moment before she handed Cameron the timetable the printer had just spat out.

"Since you're starting school mid-semester, you're going to have to go to classes with Miss Masen. If there are any immediate concerns, come back and I'll change your timetable. You can keep your things in her locker until you buy books," she instructed in a bored voice, already turning her back to us.

After thanking her, we left the office and stood just outside it examining the timetable. It was indeed identical to mine and I grimaced at the thought of Mr Trethewey's face when we showed up at his Maths class in first period.

"Renesmee!" a female voice chirped from behind me. I turned just in time to be engulfed in a hug by Sasha. I smiled and extricated myself before the scent of her blood could overwhelm me.

"Hey, Sasha. How are you?" I asked, catching Cameron's eye and suppressing a laugh at his expression which had suddenly turned alarmed. I knew without him saying it that he was honestly a little frightened of Sasha. I couldn't really blame him; at first I'd been overwhelmed by her intensity just as much as I had been by her blood.

She nattered away about her morning and her impending Biology test in sixth period, all the while I stood there smiling and nodding, feeling no reason to listen to her inane chatter like I usually did. I mostly just listened so I could keep up appearances, but on that day, I couldn't find it in myself to bother listening to the words spewing out of her mouth so quickly and endlessly.

"Nessie? What time does the bell go?" Cameron's voice cut through whatever Sasha was saying.

"Uh, nine o'clock," I replied, glancing at my delicate, silver watch.

"We should probably get going then. Bye, Sasha," Cameron said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from her towards the main school entrance.

"Sorry about that, but I couldn't listen to her for another second," he admitted sheepishly as he let go of my arm.

"Are you sure you're not psychic? I swear, I was just thinking the same thing," I told him as we approached my locker. I was lucky that it was in the main corridor of the school, but I was also unlucky because of the person who owned the locker next to me. Kyle wasn't anywhere to be seen but that wasn't really surprising, considering there was still ten minutes until the bell and he preferred to show up just before class started. I considered telling Cameron that fact, but then decided against it because I didn't know how he would take the news.

"So, Maths up first?" he asked while I put a few books in my locker and stowed my wallet on the small shelf.

"Yep. With our favourite teacher, Mr. Trethewey," I grinned as I spoke.

"He's the one who-" Cameron began and I nodded.

"Yeah. He's the one who saw, uh, in the forest," I mumbled self-consciously as we started down the corridor towards the Maths room.

The halls were filling with people as the start of the day drew closer and every person I looked at was staring at us, staring because of Cameron. I would've smiled back had I not been so nervous about seeing Mr. Trethewey. It was going to be beyond awkward and I only hoped I could get through the lesson without being called on.

As we entered the room, I noticed there were only a few students at their desks, and, naturally, they all gaped at us when we entered the room. When I'd first started school, I'd received the stares, probing looks that were often uncomfortable, but I honestly felt pity for Cameron for the way the girls were looking at him. I also felt another emotion that bothered me as it had the day before with Morgan and her crowd. Jealousy wasn't something I was accustomed to and I found myself feeling slightly flustered by the time Cameron and I were seated next to each other and the lesson began.

"Paper and pen?" I offered Cameron, about to pull a few sheets out of my ledger for him.

"No thanks. I already know this stuff," he replied, smirking at me. I raised my eyebrows at him but turned to face the front of the room just as the teacher entered.

When Mr. Trethewey entered the classroom, his eyes were immediately drawn to my desk and I could swear I saw his lips twitch upwards. Crap, not a good sign.

By the time the lesson was halfway through, I knew my initial instinct had been correct. He'd called on me for every second question and he hadn't made them easy either. The sad little man had even pulled a random equation out of next semester's work and had been most disappointed when I'd answered it correctly. I was acutely aware that every time I had to speak in front of the class, Cameron's eyes unfalteringly stayed trained to my face. He was watching my every move and I actually felt a little nervous from the attention.

"And now, a bonus question. This is something a wee bit harder I've prepared for the lucky student. Any takers?" the teacher asked the room at large about ten minutes before the lesson was scheduled to end. Naturally, no one volunteered.

"Ah, Renesmee, care to take a crack at it?" he asked, predictably directing a glare in my direction. On the board he had written a complicated algorithm that I was positive he had taken out of the senior Calculus curriculum.

He offered me the whiteboard marker with a challenging grin and I felt my cheeks turn pink when I realised I had no idea how to begin solving it.

"Ah, how disappointing," the teacher crooned in an irritating voice when he noticed my face. To my surprise, Cameron, who had been silent all lesson, got to his feet and offered his hand for the whiteboard marker.

"Give me the pen," he practically ordered the teacher. With a frown, Mr. Trethewey handed over the marker and the entire class watched in bewildered surprise as the attractive, blonde new kid solved the algorithm quickly and efficiently. He had a neat hand and the numbers on the board looked elegant and smooth compared to Mr. Trethewey's hasty scrawl.

With a pronounce smirk, Cameron sauntered back over to our desk and flung himself down into the chair. I gaped at him, surprised, and I knew the other kids were all staring at him too. I'd known he was literate and like me, I'd known he would have unnatural vampiric intelligence. Had I known he was freakin' genius? Nope.

***

By lunch that day, I was reasonably positive that Cameron's first day of school was one of _my_ worst days of school. Everywhere we'd gone, girls had drooled over him, all the while I'd stood by his side and clammed up like an imbecile. For Morgan's sake, we were supposed to be pretending to be a couple, and I knew I was doing a terrible job of convincing people.

Cameron and I sat side by side in the cafeteria, discussing our 'relationship' with the curious crowd of students. My regular table of friends were obviously pleased by the attention and my male friends quickly took a shine to my new friend. I was pleased that Cameron was able to make conversation so easily. The fact that he was good at it really shouldn't have surprised me, he seemed to be good at just about everything. There was a pull about him that I couldn't quite describe, like a gravitational movement that drew people to him. I couldn't help but sit back throughout the day and watch as people became absorbed by him.

He had a great sense of humour and my sensitive ears picked up many comments about what a great personality he had. I was feeling slightly proud of him by the end of the day, of how well he'd fit in.

"Nessie, you okay?" Cameron whispered to me halfway through our sixth period English class. I realised he'd looked up and caught me staring at him absentmindedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just bored," I told him truthfully. We were reading _To Kill a Mocking-Bird_, a book I'd read twice since I'd learnt to read before my first birthday. I could appreciate it's many layers and meanings, but truthfully, it was the most boring book I'd ever read and the class analyses did little to hold my attention. Taking one look at Cameron's page, I could see he was hardly captivated either; on it, he had drawn a pair of eyes. They were surprisingly lifelike and almost looked like they belonged to a child. When he looked down and saw what I was looking at, he quickly flipped the paper over and abruptly diverted his attention to the board.

I looked away guiltily, thinking I'd intruded on something personal and private. Was he drawing the eyes of someone from his past, a fictitious character from his mind? The unanswered questions left me feeling slightly frustrated and it was with a start that I realised I really knew next to nothing about him.

The day before, I'd attacked him before we could finish our conversation, and I realised now that he'd gotten out of telling me about himself. I smiled wryly as the bell rang and I slid my notepad and pen into my book bag; I was going to get my answers. I chose a subtle approach as we walked through the maze of cars in the lot to the Volvo, asking random questions about his day.

The second the car door was shut behind us, I turned to him and folded me arms across my chest and stared at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" he asked in a confused tone.

"You know what I realised just before?"

"What did you realise?" he asked and I could swear his tone took on a slightly panicked edged that I wouldn't have noticed if I were human.

"You never told me about yourself. I don't even know your last name," I told him, watching for a reaction carefully. His eyes relaxed some and he let a small smile grace his lips.

"You're right, and that's not very fair. What do you want to know?"

I settled forward in my chair, starting the engine and pulling out of the spot.

"Let's start with your last name?" I suggested.

"I don't really have one," he admitted. I understood without having to be told that it was because he'd never met either of his parents, so I fell silent rather than pushing the topic.

The silence crept through the car and we drove home in perfect stillness, no one saying anything until I was just pulling the car into the driveway.

"Reid. Cameron Reid," he said quietly. I didn't look up as he spoke and it wasn't until we were out of the car that I let my eyes focus on him. He was smiling endearingly down at me and I couldn't help but smile back, pleased by the simple scrap of information he'd given me.

"You don't seem to know much about us, about half vampires, so rather than tell you about me, I'll tell you about us," he promised as we started walking to the front door. I frowned a little at the loophole, before deciding I didn't care; I was curious about our species and found myself getting excited at the prospect of more knowledge.

As we entered the house, even though he wasn't telling me about himself, I still felt like he was opening up to me, like we were becoming closer.

**Cameron POV**

I couldn't help but smile at her expression, so easily pleased by my three word answer as she got out of the car.

I promised her information about our species as we walked to the house together, information I was free to give, yet information that still felt like it was costing me. For every piece of knowledge about myself I gave her, I gave her more tools to chip away at my mask with. The more she knew about me, the closer we would become.

Crap.

**Dear limited (emphasis on the LIMITED) fanbase,**

**I know that there aren't really enough of you to care about me taking so long to write this, but for those of you that do, blame exams. Thanks to everyone that's reviewed and keep em' coming, I thrive on the feedback :D**

**What do you guys think of the Cameron flashback? **


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Twilight but I do have about 10 people that read my sad-ass attempt at a fan-fic, so for that, I thank you guys.

This one took ages to put up, sorry everyone… I just moved house and to anyone who's had the _joy_ of that experience, you'll know how much fun I had and why it took me so long. My internet was also cut for about two weeks so…. Forgive me. Okay, enough excuses. Now read. And review? 

-Chapter 7-

**Renesmee POV**

"You know we can hold our breath for a long time?" he said, taking a sip of his coffee as he folded himself gracefully into the armchair opposite me. We were sitting in the living room, about to discuss our hybrid vampire species in detail for the first time and I couldn't help but feel a little excited.

"I knew that. Ten minutes is the longest I've gone," I told him somewhat smugly.

"I've gone twenty," he replied with a wink. I sighed exaggeratedly and gestured for him to continue as I took my first gulp of coffee.

"Okay smarty-pants. What do you know about our accelerated healing?"

"I'm a really fast healer compared to humans. But werewolves are still faster than us," I told him, the reminder of Jacob surprisingly not forcing the same reaction of loneliness that it usually did. Strange.

"Do you know what makes us heal faster?" he asked, his eyebrows raised as if he doubted I could answer.

"No…. is it blood?" I asked, making the logical leap in my mind.

"Surprisingly, no. Human food makes us heal faster. It's all to do with our red blood cells and blood sugar. An acquaintance of mine was particularly interested in calorimetry and experimented with our Polyol levels and found tha-" he began to explain but I spoke over the top of him.

"Whoa, don't get all sciency on me. But that's fascinating. Carlisle always wanted to conduct some tests but my mom wouldn't condone any purposeful harm to me so we couldn't test it. I hate to think what you went through for those tests," I told him, smiling at the memory of my mother's expression when Emmett had suggested it.

"Let's just say it's not something I plan on doing again anytime soon," he laughed and I got the feeling I was missing something. I waved him on again as I took another preoccupied sip of coffee.

"You probably already figured this out, but age makes us stronger. And faster. I wasn't kidding when I said I could take you- I'm ten years older and my body will always have that advantage over yours," he explained. I'd already guessed as much but I was curious about more than that.

"Have you ever met one of us older than you?" I asked with some reservations about the ground on which I was treading. I didn't want to offend him and I remembered the first day I'd met him, he'd told me of a group he'd once been with. A group that had chosen a very different lifestyle to us. They chose to kill for their food.

"Once. His name was Zacharias and he was nearly one hundred and fifty when I met him. I was lucky he was fond of me and didn't choose to fight me, because I would've lost about as badly as you lost against me yesterday," he explained with a wink.

"Was he a part of that group you were once with?" I asked, pleased he seemed open to talking about his past. And then what he'd said caught up with me.

"Hey, wait! I did not _lose_. I let you beat me because I didn't want to hurt you," I defended myself, annoyed when a smirk crossed his face.

"Sure, whatever you say," he laughed, his smirk broadening at my expression. "Yes, he was in that, coven I suppose you could call it. He was the leader, really. He'd fathered all the other members only recently and I was the second eldest after him. I imagine that, had I been younger, he wouldn't have let me leave quite so easily," he elaborated.

"Why not?" I asked, curiosity urging me on even though I sensed him pulling away from me emotionally.

"It was a complex operation they had. It was difficult to remain hidden from the Volturi for so long. Imagine if you hunted the natural way like they do- imagine never being able to hunt near large groups of humans for fear a full vampire would smell your scent. They could only pick off stray humans in deserted locations that wouldn't attract a vampire's notice. They mostly stuck to the sunny places like Hawaii and some islands in the Pacific." I felt my irked expression turn to awe as I realised how well travelled he was and what a strange and foreign thing he had been a part of.

I was truly amazed they'd managed to get away with it for so long.

"When we met the other day in the forest, you mentioned you hadn't drank blood since you were younger. Did you hunt with them?" I asked, feeling almost afraid of the answer. If he said yes, I would not condemn him, knowing myself how difficult the temptation was, but still, it made me uneasy to picture him as a killer. I'd drank blood when I was young also, though only donated blood obtained from Carlisle through his doctor connections. I was no hypocrite, but still, I couldn't help my anxiety.

"No. That's why I left," he said and I breathed out an internal sigh of relief. "I was originally with them for the safety from the Volturi that being in a group provided. I didn't even know who the Volturi were, really, until I joined them. When I found out they just wanted to use me to help them slaughter humans, I had no choice but to leave. They wanted to use me and my strengths to help them fight and kill. I couldn't be a part of that. Zack was less than pleased but he let me go without a fight," he told me and I felt sympathy for him fill me.

"Do you think one day they'll come looking for you?" I asked him quietly, curling my legs up under me and resting my head on my knees.

"Maybe one day. But, until then, I just plan to roam free. The Volturi know about us now, so it's not like I have to hide anymore," he reminded me with a small smile.

"So, tell me more about us," I asked, too late realising how my words could be taken the wrong way. He coughed once and I blushed furiously, looking at the coffee table between us rather than at him. "I mean, half-vampires. Tell me more stuff about our species," I clarified.

"Well, you know how human blood makes vampires stronger?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me. I nodded. "Well, it's the same for us. The more blood we drink, the more vampiric we become. Zack had been drinking blood his entire life and there were noticeable differences between him and I."

"Like what?"

"His skin was colder, harder. He didn't need to breathe or eat as often and if I listened closely, I could hear his heart-rate was slower than mine. It wasn't just his superior age, he is definitely more of a vampire than you or I," he explained to me and I found myself shocked by that revelation.

"Do you think it works the other way around? If one of us ate enough human food, could it reverse the process and make us more human?" I wondered aloud.

"I don't know. I've eaten human food almost all my life but I still notice myself get stronger and faster every year. Maybe I am more vampire than human, who knows?" he asked.

"I met one of us when I was less than a year old. His name was Nahuel and he was over one hundred years old. He did seem more like a vampire than a human really…." I trailed off, musing that maybe that was why he'd seemed so different to me.

"Tell me more about your thought projecting, it intrigues me," Cameron said suddenly, confusing me with the abrupt subject change.

"There's not much to tell, really. It started out in my hands, where I had to touch people to show them what I was thinking. My father and I worked on it until I was able to project my thoughts sporadically. I feel lucky I even got a power," I told him.

"Yes, lucky. I've only met a few others like us who possessed one," he replied with a confusing undertone to his words.

"Really, what could they do?" I asked, curious to know if they flipped their parent's powers the way I had. My father was a telepath who could receive thoughts, whilst I sent them. I felt a small tightening in my stomach at the thought of my father but fought it back in order to keep myself from spiralling downwards in misery. I'd managed the whole day without thinking about them and I'd be damned if I was going to ruin all my good work and start moping again.

"Nothing terribly exciting. I don't see what's so great about having a power. Don't you find it unnecessary sometimes?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me. I was confused how he could think that, it was such a different reaction to my power than I'd ever received before.

"Hell no. I love my gift, it can come in handy sometimes. You're just jealous," I teased, laughing softly.

"Jealous? Why?" he asked, his expression strange. It looked like he was on the verge of making a difficult decision.

"Because you don't have a powe-" I began to say but shut up when I saw what was happening.

Suddenly, in his hand, actual flames were flickering brightly and dangerously. It took me a few baffled seconds to realise he had created the fire himself. No matches, no lighter. It went against every scientific law I knew, went against pretty much everything I'd ever been taught in my life. But the truth was burning hotly in his hand and I gasped as I realised the gravity of what he was showing me.

He could summon fire. Oh, God, that was cool.

He was smirking at me as he moved his fingers through the fire, weaving patterns amongst the bright tongues of flame.

"You were saying?" he asked, laughing at my expression. I gaped at him, shocked beyond belief. This was by far the most physical vampire power I'd ever seen and I was more than impressed by it.

"Why didn't you tell me about… _that_ sooner?" I demanded, feeling slightly pissed off that he hadn't thought to mention he was an incredibly dangerous pyromaniac.

"It never came up," he replied, shrugging as the fire extinguished itself. I huffed unhappily and sat up straight again, wanting to know more.

"That's pretty dangerous. I don't know if I should trust you in the house, you might set something on fire," I joked, still in awe.

"I've never set anything on fire by accident. It requires a great deal of control and effort so it's not something I'm about to slip up on," he responded with a grin.

"How do you do it?" I asked. It was probably a stupid question but I hoped he could answer, if only to satisfy some of my insane curiosity.

"I just concentrate and visualise it happening and hey presto, fire."

"Did I mention that's just about the coolest thing I've ever seen?"

"You could stand to mention it again," he smiled lightly but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"That is _so _cool… Thought projection suddenly doesn't seem quite so awesome," I admitted with a smile.

"It's still pretty cool, trust me. I'd trade you any day," he spoke and I noticed a slightly bitter tone enter his voice.

"You resent your gift." I said and it wasn't a question.

"What makes you think that?"

"The way you talk about it. What could possibly be so wrong with having such a cool offensive power?" I asked, meaning it metaphorically. He sighed and straightened up in his chair as I realised he was actually going to answer me.

"Occasionally, yes, I _do _resent my… talent. You said yourself how dangerous it is. Especially if you consider how flammable vampires are. Has it crossed your mind how dangerous I would be to a vampire? Do you think I want Aro finding out about me and recruiting me into his masses?" he spoke wildly, furiously, passionately and I felt like I was catching a glimpse of another side of him he kept hidden.

"You could be dangerous and I can see how you would want to avoid the Volturi, but that shouldn't make you fight against it. It's part of you," I told him sincerely.

"You don't think fearing the Volturi is a valid enough reason to try and suppress _this_?" he replied, flames once more appearing in his hands. He looked down at himself in disgust. "I'm already a freak of the vampire world, damned by my species. I'm a half, just like you. We're neither; not human enough to be considered one and not vampire enough to walk amongst the immortal as one of them. Naturally, I had to receive a power like this," he waved his hand angrily for emphasis. "If the Volturi ever found out, I would never have a chance to preserve any sense of… normality. Sanity? I don't even know anymore," he finally came to the end of his small spiel, leaving me slightly breathless in the wake of his defiance of his own identity.

"I understand," was all I said, speaking quietly for fear anything other would set him off. It was also the truth. I _could_ understand his preoccupation with normalcy, with the idea of having a normal life. He'd been born into the world the same way I had, as a hybrid, an unknown. Only, I'd had a loving family to guide me through my uncertainties, my questions.

He'd had no one.

It was suddenly obvious why he would want to repress his power as much as he could. He feared that anything else about him that could be considered irregular would drive him further towards the fringes of society, pushing him away until he was nothing more than a speck on a forgotten horizon. He truly just wanted to belong somewhere.

"My whole life I've always wanted to be normal. Why else do I live amongst humans, go to school with them? My family, they don't understand, really. They do it to amuse themselves, to occupy their time in some way. They just don't understand. I can't do anything else but tell you this- I understand," I repeated, standing and leaving the room. I sensed he wanted to be alone, perhaps to think through what had just happened.

From the sounds of it, I was one of the first people he'd ever told about his power and for him to do that placed me, consequentially, in a position of power over him. If I chose to tell his secret, rat him out to the Volturi, there was no telling what would become of him. With his ability, he would be used as a killing machine, and he would have no choice in the matter. I couldn't imagine a life so horrible as living amongst the Volturi, forced to do their will, to comply to their way of life.

I would take his secret to the grave.

We didn't speak again until later that night, each of us staying out of the other's space. Dinner was slightly awkward as we ate the pasta I'd hastily thrown together.

"Thank you," he said suddenly, startling me and causing me to drop my fork in surprise. It clattered noisily against the side of my plate and fell to the floor. I bent quickly to pick it up, glancing up at him through my lashes as I did so in an attempt to ascertain his mood before I replied. He was smiling lightly with a warm look in his eyes and I felt my mood brighten considerably when I saw that he wasn't mad at me. Truthfully, the entire afternoon I'd been hiding from him in my room, wondering how he would react to my parting words.

"You're welcome," I replied, smiling. I knew he could only be thanking me for what I'd said during our conversation that afternoon.

"It's nice to meet someone so… understanding about it. I've met other half vampires but none quite like you."

"I feel the same way. You really seem to… I don't know, _get_ me? That's a stupid way of putting it," I muttered, embarrassed. I shovelled down some pasta, trying to fill my mouth so I wouldn't embarrass myself further with words.

"I understand," he repeated my words from earlier back to me. I met his eyes across the table and felt that same spark crackle through the air between us. Neither of us broke the eye contact and a heady silence filled the air. I could feel my cheeks warming but I couldn't will myself to look away. Finally, after an indeterminable amount of time, he looked down at his plate. Spearing the last few bites of pasta with his fork, he got to his feet to take his plate into the kitchen.

I followed his example, no longer having an appetite. A strange feeling had taken over my stomach, a fluttering, light feeling, and I knew forcing food into me would make it go away. I didn't want it to go away, I liked it. I liked the way he made me feel.

"That was great pasta, by the way," he complimented me as he rinsed his plate in the sink.

"Oh, um, thanks. It was my mom's recipe," I told him.

"Oh, cool," he smiled and then quickly brought his hand to his mouth, a frown flashing across his face. "Uh, would you happen to have a spare toothbrush and toothpaste? My teeth are feeling kind of gross right now," he said.

"Crap. I was supposed to go shopping this afternoon to get you some toiletries. I'll have a look in the bathroom and see what I can do. Otherwise, I'll just pick some up after school tomorrow," I suggested.

"Thank you," he said as I loaded both of our plates into the dishwasher.

"No problem."

"It's nearly ten, do you think we should start our homework soon?" he asked in a cheeky voice as we both made our way for the stairs.

"We only had to read those pages of _To Kill a Mocking Bird_, and I've already read the damn book," I grumbled, reminded of how much I hated it.

"So have I. Have you seen the movie?"

"Not recently," I replied. I vaguely recalled watching it once with my mother when I was a few years old. She was very interested in literature and loved the book and the many layers and meanings it held. To her, it was like a puzzle to be solved and interpreted. To me, it was nothing but tedium.

"Do you feel like watching it with me sometime?" he asked as we reached the point in the corridor where our paths separated. He wouldn't look at me and his eyes were downcast to his shoes, as though something on his black Converse was captivating.

It suddenly clicked. He was embarrassed. I didn't fully understand why but found a pleasant feeling seep through me as I answered him.

"I'd love to," I replied.

"Great. See you in the morning," he said as I stepped away from him.

"Goodnight, Cameron," I said, turning at my door to face him.

"Goodnight, Renesmee," he spoke softly and turned to enter his room before I could fully process his expression.

I sighed and shut my door behind me, flinging myself on my bed and hugging a pillow tightly, unsure what was happening. The fluttering feeling had intensified insanely when he'd said goodnight to me and adrenaline ran lightly through my system for some reason. I couldn't quite piece it together but something was happening between us that I didn't fully understand. I liked it.

***

The next day went smoothly as far as school was concerned. Cameron blended in flawlessly and if I didn't know better, I wouldn't have been able to call him out for what he was: a fire-wielding half vampire disguised as a human. Almost the entire student population spent some part of their day following him around. Of course, that made me the subject of a lot of attention I hadn't received since my first day, something that was far more awkward than I remembered.

Or maybe it was just the fact that I had to tolerate the type of attention he was receiving. Girls. Lots and lots of human girls. They chased him shamelessly, even knowing I was his 'girlfriend'. It bothered me and I could tell it was confusing and slightly irritating to Cameron. He'd told me he'd never attended high school before but I was still surprised to find how oblivious he was. He _had_ to know how gorgeous he was, didn't he? How the human girls could fall so frivolously over themselves for his attention? I was slightly grateful for his ignorance, thinking it would be so much harder to ignore the girls if he actually returned their efforts and flirtations.

Morgan in particular proved a nuisance, apparently not taking no for an answer. She'd cropped up all over the place throughout our day, even though the only class we shared with her was Art. Her flirting with him was over the top and superfluous but I don't think she realised just how ineffectual it was.

"Nessie, do you think she's deaf or just slow?" Cameron asked me at one point after another of Morgan's failed attempts.

"Would it be wrong to say a little of both?" I joked, laughing with him as we stood in the lunch line together.

"All the humans are deaf compared to us," he reminded me as he selected a serve of lasagne to add to his tray. It was suspicious looking and a thick sheen of grease covered the layer of yellow cheese on the top, but he didn't seem to mind. I shrugged inwardly, placing a serve on my tray, too. We each got a bottle of water and joined my usual friends at our table.

"Ooh, the lovebirds have matching lunch! How cute," gushed Sasha, looking between us as Cameron and I took our seats together. I wanted to slap her for drawing attention to us and restrained myself barely, settling for throwing her a glare. She grinned back and I couldn't decide if she was being deliberately annoying or if she was as oblivious and naïve as she looked.

"What? _I _think it's cute!" she sang in a cheery voice. I'd fed her a line that Cameron and I weren't into PDA and weren't really a showy couple. Of course she was doing this on purpose.

"It's not at all possible we were both lured in by this _delicious_ excuse for a meal?" Cameron joked, lightening the tension immediately. He poked at his lasagne with a fork and a bubble of cheese gurgled, oil spewing out of it sickeningly as if to emphasize his point. Everyone laughed and the 'couple moment' was gone. I talked quietly with my girlfriends, Sasha, Kate and Tory as I ate, barely choking down the lasagne. They were currently going through a boyfriend crisis and, naturally, I played the part of the supporting friend, lending a sympathetic ear and listening to them whine. The conversation drifted around me and I soon found myself daydreaming aimlessly while I stared at the flurry of activity in the cafeteria.

"Nessie? Are you even, like, listening to me?" Tory's voice snapped through my reverie.

"Uh, sorry, what? Spaced out there for a sec," I mumbled, trying to look apologetic.

"I said, do you want to be my wingman tonight? Wing-girl, even," she whispered, leaning closer to me.

"Who am I helping you with?" I asked, unable to remember a word of what she'd said.

"Jackson," she whispered at me, glancing up through her lashes to where he and Cameron were talking about something or other.

"What did you have in mind for him?" I asked, curious how long their little romance had been going on without my noticing.

"I was thinking, since Kate is busy… Maybe you, Cameron, Sasha and Luke could triple date with us tonight," she suggested.

"We can see that new horror movie, Death Stare! All you have to do is act scared, it's the perfect opportunity to snuggle up to him," Sasha squeaked in a high-pitched voice that still managed to be quiet enough to stop Jackson from overhearing. Cameron, however, looked up at her words, raising his eyebrows silently at me from across the table. I shrugged and turned my attention back to the other two.

"Ohmigod, that's a great idea. We can go to the twilight showing downtown. Maybe we could go for pizza after?" Tory suggested, her expression brimming with excitement. I faltered in my answer, having been about to tell her no. She was so eager and happy, I couldn't take that away from her.

"Sure," I sighed in concession.

The bell rang then and as we walked to my next class I told Cameron about what I'd agreed to at lunch.

"A scary movie sounds great," he spoke enthusiastically with a trace of something in his words that gave me the feeling I was missing something.

Our last class, Modern History, ended and we drove home in a strangely light-hearted mood. It was strange because after all I'd been through in the past few days- the pain of separation from my family, my many tumultuous emotions, my constant anxiety about the fate of those I loved- going to a movie and acting like a regular teenager suddenly seemed like a great idea. I'd been pondering the suggestion all afternoon and had eventually come to the surprising conclusion that I was excited about the coming evening.

Cameron and I went to our separate rooms at the top of the stairs. I dumped my book bag on the floor by the door and flopped down on my bed, taking a brief second to stretch my muscles. They were hardly sore from exertion, in fact, quite the opposite. I reached my arm up so it was in front of my face, flicking my wrist until my watch faced me. The delicate silver hands told me it was three-thirty. We'd agreed to meet the others at five o'clock which I decided left me enough time for a quick run. I quickly changed my jeans for running shorts and slipped on my expensive sneakers. They had a special sole that Carlisle and Esme had promised me would be able to withstand anything I would want to subject them to. A small frown settled on my face as I considered my grandparents who were no doubt in as much trouble as the rest of my family. I shook my head as though I could rid myself of the depressing thoughts and got to my feet.

"Cameron?" I said, knocking softly on his door as I passed.

"It's open," he replied through the door. I pushed it lightly open and was surprised to see him sprawled on the floor. The room had never been used for its actual purpose- sleeping quarters were not something our guests usually required- but the room had been fitted with a chair. It was actually quite comfortable but perhaps like his toast, he preferred the simpler option. I nearly asked him about it but decided it could wait; I really was anxious to start my run. It was a trait I had in common with my father, my desire to feel speed and wind in my hair. Cameron grinned lazily up at me, seeming surprised at my attire.

"I'm going for a run but I'll be back in about a half hour," I told him, smiling unconsciously again.

"Do you want me to come too?" he asked, sitting up from the floor quickly as a slight frown crossed his face.

"Not if you don't want to. I won't go far, just through the forest between here and Carlisle and Esme's," I told him, guessing he was probably thinking of his protector duties again.

"Alright. I'll see you when you get back," he replied, rolling back onto the floor and sighing loudly. I laughed softly as I shut the door behind me.

I left the front door open as I left, thinking it was a warmer night than most and the extra breeze would be welcome later. I took off at a light sprint down the driveway, my senses ranging out around me as my shoes crunched softly against the gravel. I made far less noise than a human would but still far more than a full vampire would have. I sighed as I ran, the exertion not affecting my breathing in the slightest. Cameron's words flashed back to me as I reached the road that led towards my grandparents' house.

_Damned by my species…_

_We're neither…_

Never before had I really questioned my place in the world, never before had I had a reason to. My family had made me feel safe and loved, always there to reassure me when things went wrong. Was it a good thing that they'd left me to fend for myself for a change? It was as I ran through the thicket of trees in the setting sun that I realised that no matter how mature I thought myself, I still had a lot of growing up to do.

My pace slowed and I found myself walking at barely more than human speed as my revelation hit me. It didn't matter that my brain and body were advanced well beyond my years, that I was treated like an adult. In reality, I was really only seven and a half years old. If I were human, if I were _normal_, I would be in the second grade right now. I shook my head for the second time in an hour, trying to convince myself that things weren't as they seemed.

I frowned as my steps quickened and I realised I was heading home again. I'd only taken ten minutes but the urgent need for conversation, for assurance that I _was_ normal, had overridden my desire for exercise.

I reached the house in less than a minute and was just about to walk in the front door when I heard voices. Well, just one voice, someone talking on the phone- Cameron. Who was he talking to? I crept silently through the entrance foyer and up the stairs, unsure why I wanted to keep my approach silent but tiptoeing nonetheless. I paused about halfway to the top and listened.

"I miss you, too. Yes, I'll be there as soon as I'm done here," he said. A pause as the other person obviously spoke through the phone. I couldn't hear what they were saying but my insides felt strange all of a sudden. Like someone had twisted and tied them into knots, placed them back inside me and thrown ice water over my mangled body.

"I love you Carolina, stay safe," Cameron spoke tenderly. I felt the icy feeling twist in my stomach again as I silently walked past his room and into my own. _Who's Carolina?_ I asked myself drearily as I sank onto my bed, no longer caring if he heard me. He obviously had, and he entered my room a few seconds later.

"You're back soon," he noted, leaning against the door frame, sounding only very slightly nervous.

"Um, yeah… I didn't feel like running after all," I replied, my voice more rigid than I'd intended.

"Okay. Well, I was just going to start my math homework. You wanna' work on it together downstairs?," he said, smiling. The high school thing was still a novelty to him and his smile was untainted like mine was. He obviously didn't realise I'd overheard him.

"Great. I, uh, I'll meet you in the living room in a sec'," I said.

"Sure. Hey, are you alright? You look kinda' pale," he remarked, stepping slightly further into my room.

"I'm half _vampire_, remember? Or maybe that escaped your notice," I said in a sarcastic voice, my tone actually sounding hostile. Cameron stared at me evenly for a second before sighing loudly and walking over to me. He sat gently down on the edge of my bed and turned to face me, his expression serious.

"You overheard, didn't you?" he asked, but his tone wasn't angry. I nodded numbly once, unsure how he was going to react.

"And you're wondering who Carolina is?"

I nodded again.

"She's a human I met two years ago. Only six years old, but I enjoyed her company. She was recently… taken away from me. To a foster home. I haven't seen her since but I'm told I can go and visit her soon," he said. His voice didn't shake and I found myself believing his words immediately. Consequentially, I also felt immediately stupid. Why the hell had I gotten so upset? It wasn't like I had any claim on him…

"Oh, I see." _Your wit and brilliant responses never ceased to amaze me,_ my internal monologue remarked dryly at me the second the words left my lips. "You miss her." I stated, no inflection in my voice.

"Yes, I do. Every day," he replied and I could hear the fondness in his voice.

"Why don't you go to her now? You should go," I told him in a perfectly level voice. I certainly didn't _want _him to leave but if it was making him miserable being here with me… He deserved happiness.

"I can't-"

"Yes, you can. Who am I? I'm a stranger to you, you don't have any obligation to me so you should go to her. To Carolina," I told him, sliding off my bed and getting to my feet. I strode past him and out my bedroom door, unsure where I was going but knowing I needed to get away from him.

"No, Renesmee, wait," Cameron called to me, and I could hear him following me. I didn't stop for him, continuing down the hallway as if I hadn't heard him. All of a sudden, his hand was on my wrist, jerking me back in his direction. I think he underestimated his strength because I was pulled right into him, nearly causing us both to fall over. Our vampiric reflexes kicked in too quickly for that to happen, though it certainly startled me and knocked me off my balance.

"Nessie," he breathed, still holding me by the wrist. "Wait. You can't leave and neither can I," he stated, his other hand reaching for my face and pulling a few flyaway strands of hair out of my eyes. I felt my heart race and I couldn't seem to look away from his eyes. The grey in them somehow managed to burn with emotion and the depth swallowed me whole, rendering me helpless as his hand by my face brushed lightly against the side of my cheek. His touch was soft, almost hesitant, yet it carried so much power and intensity. My eyes instinctively shut and then….

I opened my eyes again, blinking rapidly and stepping away from him, trying desperately to remember what I'd been saying.

"I-I promised mom and dad I wouldn't leave, but that shouldn't stop you."

"I promised them, too, you know. And why would I leave?"

"Because, you miss her, you said it yourself. I don't want you to stay here if it's making you miserable," I told him, watching as his eyes widened slightly. The hand he'd brushed against my face with suddenly slid down to my shoulder, squeezing me lightly.

"I'm not miserable," he spoke in a soft, quiet voice. "I miss her, of course I do, but I won't leave you. If Alice was right, then something or someone is going to try to hurt you and I'm supposed to protect you from it. I won't let them hurt you," he spoke reassuringly, obviously trying to assuage my guilt. It didn't really work but I found warmth spreading through me, regardless. I tried to pull away again but he didn't let me, his hand moving from my shoulder and sliding down to the small of my back. I shivered lightly as he pulled me into him, allowing myself to be guided by his hand.

As we embraced, his rested his head against the top of mine and I couldn't help the sound of contentment that escaped my lips.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered into my hair.

His words were almost lost on me, the sensations I drowned in making it difficult to concentrate. I'd already figured out I was attracted to him, but being held by him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine…. I couldn't quite find ways to describe it. My insides felt like they were flying and the spark I always felt around him transformed into something tangible, like an electric shock rather than the usual tingle.

Cameron held me for what felt like a second but logic told me was really at least ten, before finally releasing me. He didn't step away, keeping only a foot or so away from me, still close enough that I could easily hear his heart beat, feel the warmth of his blood in the air between us. Our eyes met briefly as a comfortable, yet intense silence enveloped us and I breathed deeply through my mouth to try and clear the haze that had taken over my brain.

"I'll meet you downstairs. Page 28, question 9 and 10- right?" he smiled, stepping away and turning towards his room to fetch his book no doubt. I nodded, not realising he couldn't see me.

"Mmkay," I mumbled, stumbling towards my room.

How was it he could have such an effect on me?

We did our maths homework and were both ready to get dressed for the movie by four thirty. Surprisingly, neither of us brought up what had transpired between us in the hallway and any silence between us was not uncomfortable in the slightest. If anything, our small confrontation seemed to have brought us closer, rather than driven us apart as part of me had feared it would.

I entered my bedroom, shutting the door behind me as I turned to face my closet. I had no idea what to wear, and even though I knew it wasn't a real 'date', I still wanted to look good. Look good for _him_…

I approached the wooden doors to my closet, wishing Alice was there to help me. Whilst occasionally over-the-top, her fashion sense was undeniably great and I felt like for once I would've appreciated her advice. To my surprise, the perfect solution to my wardrobe problem presented itself the second I opened the closet door.

A flowing white blouse with short sleeves hung right in the middle of the closet. It had silver swirl patterns adorning the bottom edge and was simple but still pretty. I tried it on, admiring the way the plain colour accentuated the red in my hair. A black knee-length skirt made of a soft material I couldn't name completed the outfit. I selected a pair of silver ballet flats and grabbed a light jacket to compensate for the cold that I should be feeling if I were human. Once fully dressed, I shoved my wallet and cell phone into a small bag and traipsed down the stairs to wait for Cameron in the kitchen.

I was drumming my hands on the bench for only a minute or two before I looked up at the sound of his light footsteps on the stairs. I tried desperately not to gasp as I took in his appearance. He was wearing dark jeans and a black sports jacket over a deep red shirt. On some guys, the jacket-look made them seem like they were trying too hard. Cameron didn't look that way at all, in fact, it looked like the jacket had been made for him. The effect of all the colours together was quite mesmerizing and I couldn't help the smile that came over me.

"You look great." I gasped, the words had slipped out of my mouth before I'd even realised I was saying them.

"Thanks. You look beautiful," he replied, smiling. I didn't miss how his eyes roamed over me quickly, feeling a light thrill as he did.

"Thank you. Shall we?" I gestured towards the door, feeling excessively formal for some reason.

After locking up, we reached the outdoor garage and came across the same dilemma we usually did. Lamborghini or Volvo…

"_Please_?" Cameron turned on me, begging me. I laughed and took out my key chain, holding up both keys side my side and pretending to examine them.

"Scissors-paper-rock? I win, we take the Volvo, you win- the Lamborghini," I suggested. He nodded solemnly once, extending his hand.

The first time we played, we both chose scissors. We both laughed and then played again.

Both of us chose rock.

"This has gotta' be rigged," he muttered with a jokingly annoyed expression. The next time we played we both ended up with scissors again.

"Okay, this is clearly not working," he laughed.

"Yeah, our minds are just too alike, I guess," I teased.

"Really?" he asked, a suspicious look creeping upon his face. "Oh my God, look behind you, quick!" he suddenly cried. I whirled quickly, scanning the night for a threat.

There was a jerking feeling in my hand and I realised my keys were gone. I turned back around and glared at him as he dangled the keys in front of me, a prominent smirk etched across his face.

"If our minds were so alike, you would've seen that coming," he laughed. I rolled my eyes and let him unlock the Lamborghini, deciding to indulge him. He smiled triumphantly and walked over to the passenger side of the car, opening my door for me. I smiled as I got in the car, surprised but pleased by the gesture. Once he got in and shut the door behind him, I turned to him, my hand hesitating on the seat belt.

"Oh come_ on_," he said, sounding as if I had truly offended him with my action.

"Hmm, alright. But try and keep it under the speed limit; it's a Friday night so there's bound to be cops around," I warned him.

"Trust me," was all he replied with, his voice strangely blank. He stared unseeingly into the night as he said the words and something about the simple phrase stirred something in me. It wasn't the usual feelings of attraction and excitement I usually felt around him, though they were still present in the confined space the car provided.

No, these were other feelings. Strange feelings that verged on suspicion. All his strange mood swings, the phone call he'd received, his reluctance to tell me about himself…

I shook my head to myself, ridding my mind of the thought. Cameron was kind and honest and was trying to protect me.

I didn't have anything to worry about.

I trusted him.

**Okaaaaay. You may notice a little **_**To-Kill-a-Mocking Bird**_**-hate in there, and yes, I'm going to admit that it was inspired by my own hatred of the book…. No offence Harper Lee… : ) **

**Also, all the stuff about blood sugar and Polylol levels was all courtesy of Wikipedia. I despise science and as school is out for the summer, I couldn't ask one of my slightly more knowledgeable friends, so I apologize for any mistakes regarding that. **

**Thoughts? Review?**


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Twilight but I do have a couple of readers who appreciate this, so for them, I continue to write.

Merry Christmas fan-base! Hope you all got an Edward in your stocking. 

Thank you so much to all those that have reviewed, favourite authored, favourite storied or subscribed to alerts. Especially thank you to those that have rec'd this outside of Fanfiction. I saw a comment about this on HisGoldenEyes (sick fansite, recommend checking it out). Ultimate goal for this story is to make it onto Fanfic Friday : )

Reviews= faster chapters….. and a happy dance, remember that : )

-Chapter 8-

"Where'd she go?"

"Last I saw, she disappeared into the woods."

"That was two weeks ago…"

Suspenseful music filled the movie theatre, the tension coiling in the audience like a spring. The actors on the screen were shrouded in shadow, but the light being projected onto the screen reflected back, illuminating the group of people I was sitting with. Cameron sat to my right, in the aisle seat, and the rest of my group of friends filled the row to my left.

I turned my attention back to the movie a little reluctantly. The light against Cameron's complexion was truly something to look at; he looked almost ethereal, too pale, too perfect in the light cast down off the screen.

In my opinion, though we were only half an hour into it, the movie was well thought out and the special effects were amazing compared to normal human standards. My sharp eyes always picked up on the things I wasn't supposed to. I could see all the wires and reflexions that weren't supposed to be there, something that often ruined movies for me. No, _Death Stare_ was proving to be better than I had thought it would be, but part of me questioned my real feelings behind the decision. Was it because I was sitting so acutely close to the guy I was so attracted to? Or was I genuinely interested in finding out how the heroine of the movie would survive?

The butterflies swirling around in my lower body suggested fervently that it was not the latter option that had me smiling. Our arms were touching on the armrest we shared and wonderful fantasies involving the armrest disappearing were spinning in my head all of their own accord.

Unwillingly, my eyes flitted to Cameron again just as a scream rang out through the surround sound speakers. The audience collectively gasped and I heard a few screams from the audience. I jumped from the sudden noise but not in response to what everyone else saw on the screen. Cameron looked up at me, not responding in the slightest to what he saw on the screen. He smirked at me, obviously thinking I'd been scared by the movie. I frowned at him and turned my face back to the screen just in time to see a severed human hand fly out from behind a tree. The blood was noticeably fake and I grinned wryly at the image, knowing all too well just how far off it was.

A hand gently nudged my arm and I looked up to catch Cameron's eye, noticing his expression matched my own. I grinned and then, reluctantly, I looked away again, turning my attention back to movie screen. The plot was actually getting quite interesting and I found myself intrigued by the story, wanting to know the twist. I watched with baited breath as various characters were killed off, the climax nearing.

And that was when the main villainess was revealed. A short, blonde and angelic looking child was smiling benevolently at the camera. Her expression turned subtly angry as she stared at the main character of the film, her eyes taking on a reddish tinge. The main character screamed in agony, the screen going blank. As the lights went up and the credits started rolling, I felt a strange feeling fluttering around inside me. Almost like déjà vu. It wasn't until I went to stand and met Cameron's eye, seeing his expression that it clicked.

Jane.

I'd seen the Volturi member only once, the day of the confrontation when I was a baby. Her face had danced around the edges of my mind as I'd watched the final scene of the movie but I hadn't managed to put the pieces together. Jane had the power to cause absolute agony in her victim's mind. Their body would remain unharmed, but they would truly believe they were suffering the worst pain in the world. Thankfully, when the Volturi had last visited, my mother's mental shield had protected us from Jane's dangerous ability. The thought of it still made me shiver sometimes at night.

The movie actress looked similar, lacking the vampiric perfection that Jane had, but her face was close enough to cause a reaction in me.

Seeing her face in my mind and hearing the agonised scream reverberating in my head, I got slowly to my feet and followed the others out of the theatre, feeling like a ghost. My family. My _family_, the people I loved more than anyone in the world could be being tortured by that sadistic vampire and I was at a movie with friends. What was _wrong _with me?

Alice's words and her warning flashed through my mind. I sighed, knowing I couldn't do anything to help them, even if I _did_ go to Volterra. I clenched my hand into a fist, feeling uncharacteristic anger sweep through me at the helplessness I was experiencing.

Sasha and Tory's inane chatter swirled around me as I was swept along with them to the bathroom. I leaned against the wall and waited for them to be done so we could leave.

"So, mission accomplished! We started out holding hands and by the end of the movie we were like, a pretzel," Tory bubbled as she dried her hands on paper towel. Funny, I hadn't noticed them. My attention had been divided between my own 'date' and the movie. I'd completely forgotten the others.

"Nessie, I see Cameron isn't very…. You know, touchy-feely… Poor you," Sasha said, placing a somewhat condescending pat on my shoulder as we left the bathroom and approached the guys again.

"Yeah, guess not," I mumbled, my mind elsewhere. I couldn't forget the image of those eyes… the deceptively angelic appearance of the villainess…. I shuddered lightly as we left the bathroom.

No one but Cameron seemed to notice my preoccupation as started walking the few blocks to the pizzeria. The outside of the place, _Cheesy Pete's_, was about what you could expect of a small-town eatery. Gaudy, bright colours adorned the outer walls and a caricatured Italian man with a large moustache was illuminated with bright neon lights. There weren't too many people inside and we quickly found a large booth near the back to squeeze into. To my surprise, Cameron chose the seat next to me and I soon found myself squished against the wall. There was room on the other side of him but he didn't move, putting an arm on my headrest behind my head and smiling innocently at me. On top of the new fear racing through me for my family, I now had to deal with his extremely close proximity. Great. His scent felt like it was surrounding me and our legs were practically overlapping on the seat, something that had my heart racing in response.

"So, did you guys like the movie?" Sasha asked as she scrutinized our posture and cuddling herself closer to her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Luke.

_Oh_. Cameron had obviously heard Sasha's earlier remark about being 'touchy-feely' and was trying to make up for it like a good 'boyfriend' would. I smiled grimly and fought to keep my attention on the conversation.

"It was pretty good. The blood looked so real," exclaimed Jackson. I barely suppressed a snort and looked up to catch Cameron's eye, noticing he too looked like he was fighting the urge to laugh. We ordered two pizzas with everything and bantered easily about the movie until our food arrived. Dodgy, the exterior of the restaurant may have been, but _Cheesy Pete's_ had some of the best pizza in Oregon.

"You like the food?" I asked Cameron, laughing at his shocked expression as he took his first bite.

"Surprisingly, yes," he smiled after he swallowed.

We laughed and chatted stupidly while we ate and I felt some of my tension leave me, dreary acceptance taking its place. There was nothing I could do to help my family, so for the time being, I would have to wait. Alice had told me they were safe and for now, that would have to be enough to get me through. The impossible anxiety still haunted me, but as I left the restaurant with Cameron, I knew I would have no choice but to stay where I was and keep out of trouble.

And I did.

I didn't jump on the next plane to Italy like I so wanted to, like my heart was screaming at me to. I wanted to, but I didn't.

Like they say, what doesn't kills us makes us stronger.

***

Saturday morning dawned bright and early, but I didn't notice as I was still asleep. I slept soundly and for a long time, longer than I usually did. It was eleven o'clock before I opened my eyes to the sound of the shower running. Cameron had obviously just woken up, too. I smiled lazily as I sat up and dressed for the day, remembering how much fun we'd had the night before. The memory was tainted by the Jane reminder but despite it, I'd had a good time and had miraculously managed to forget my troubles, if only for one night.

When I was ready for the day, I headed downstairs to find something to eat for breakfast. _More like lunch_, I reminded myself dryly. A quick scan of the fridge told me we were running out of just about everything, so I decided a pilgrimage to the grocery store was necessary. Usually, as the only one in the household who ate food, I was in charge of shopping. Occasionally mom or dad would accompany me but as they spent most of their time grimacing and frowning at my food choices, I usually opted not to take them along with me. They were all about nutrition and a balanced diet for me, even though they knew it was practically impossible for me to get sick or even gain weight. Consequentially, as a child I had developed a sugar tooth that could rival any five year old's, worldwide.

I grabbed my car keys off the hook near the door and reached into one of the many cupboards that held various amounts of cash for groceries or other necessities. I pocketed the money I thought I'd need and was just about to open the door when I hesitated. Cameron.

I was so used to living either with my parents and a father that could read my intentions in my mind that I'd nearly forgotten that I should mention I was leaving. The shower wasn't running anymore so I turned to start up the stairs to ask if he wanted to come along when he suddenly appeared at the foot of them.

"Where are you going?" he asked, smiling as he strode over to me.

"Just to the grocery store. You wanna' come?" I invited.

"Yeah, sure. You were running out of bread." He grinned as we shut the front door behind us and headed down the path. It had rained during the night and the grass was slick with water. If I'd been human, I would've had to worry about falling over, but no, my vampiric reflexes nearly always prevented accidents before they happened.

Luckily, Cameron didn't fight me on my vehicular decision this morning and we were both talking happily by the time the silver Volvo was on the highway. The only decent sized supermarket in Lytton was about twenty minutes drive from home and we spent the trip casually talking about anything that came to mind. We spoke a little about the movie from the night before and though neither of us mentioned the eerie similarities between the villainess and the Volturi member, the omission hung in the air like a dark cloud. I knew he'd connected the dots too, and was just as rattled as I was. But, strangely enough, we didn't dwell on that, instead keeping to lighter topics.

Time flew and before I knew it, I was strolling down the first aisle of the shopping center. We had fun for about the first five minutes, laughing and joking about unnecessary items, other customers, basically anything that we found amusing during our strange high.

"You want any cereal?" I asked Cameron and he turned from perusing the other side of the aisle. He made a face and shook his head. "Why not?" I asked, my forehead puckering as I regarded him.

"I hate cereal. Not sure why, I just do," he replied, shrugging. I shrugged and smiled, grabbing a small box of Fruit Loops for myself. _Crazy vampire, doesn't know what he's missing_, I muttered internally.

"Hey, Cameron," I began.

"Yeah?"

"How did you… what did you do for food, you know, before now?" I asked, curious as to how he'd managed.

"Stole it, usually. Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm sure if they knew they were trading their lives for a few groceries, they'd gladly swap. Besides, I never took much, just enough for me an- just enough for me to survive," he told me, eyebrows raised at my slightly disapproving expression.

"Fair enough, I suppose," I laughed, starting down the next aisle.

We'd covered about half the store before I noticed a movement in my peripheries. We were being followed.

It was one of the guys from school, I recognised him as a senior from the 'popular' crowd. I vaguely recalled someone calling him Aiden or something along those lines. It was clear he was watching us and I couldn't think why, but it bothered me more than I'd thought it would. I hesitated, wondering if I should tell Cameron, before deciding against it. For all I knew, Aiden was just out of groceries too. Something in my gut told me I was wrong, but it was hardly a crime for him to watch us while we shopped. Still…

Cameron and I were standing in the hygiene aisle and he was picking out some toiletries when he finally noticed our audience member. I could see Aiden peeping at us from between the slats over in the next aisle. Like he was watching something, waiting for something. I could also vaguely spot him talking on a cell phone to someone, the phone pressed to his ear but his attention riveted on us. I couldn't quite make out his words and I strained my ears harder, suddenly curious. It didn't make any sense. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn he looked like he was spying on us. But who would feel the need to send a spy after us?

"They're not even holding hands or touching or anything. You're right Morgan, I think they're lying," Aiden suddenly said, speaking quietly- well, what he thought was quietly- into the phone so we wouldn't overhear him.

It all clicked into place then and I felt my smile fall. Morgan had sent honest to God _spies _after us? Just to check our relationship was real? I was immediately overcome by how desperate she was and as I glanced up at Cameron's expression, I knew he was thinking the same thing.

And then suddenly his hand covered mine, pulling me closer to him. I glanced up at him quizzically while my heart took on a faster pace. He smiled endearingly down at me and pulled me along the aisle after him. I could kind of guess at his motives but most of me didn't care, just pleased to have an excuse to be touching him.

It made me feel guilty he was forced to help me keep up this stupid High School lie. It was petty and I should just own up to it so he didn't have to pretend any more. And then I remembered the way the girls had reacted to him and I smiled; perhaps our 'relationship' wasn't just for my benefit. The amount of attention Cameron had received from the female population of Lytton High had been nearly overwhelming to him and I could say with certainty that if they found out he was single, that attention would increase tenfold. I laughed out loud at the thought and he turned to look at me quizzically. I shook my head and kept walking, wondering what kind of juice we should buy.

"Nessie?" a voice suddenly demanded from behind me. It wasn't just any voice, it was a voice I would know anywhere. Not _a_ voice, it was _the_ voice. My Jacob.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" I asked, whirling around to face him, a confused look on my face. Usually I would've smelt him enter the store, his half werewolf scent usually stark against all other smells. Then again, I wasn't _usually_ so preoccupied by the dramas of High School.

"Just checking on you," he spoke in a strange voice and I noticed for the first time he was glaring. But not at me. His angry gaze was directed at Cameron. I glanced between them and was surprised to see Cameron returning my friend's glare. The hold on my hand tightened and I looked down at it at the same time Jacob did. When I met his gaze again, the glare had disappeared only to be replaced by an expression of shock and masked pain. Without another word, he turned and stalked away. I tried to drop Cameron's hand to run after my best friend but the hold on my hand was too tight.

"Let me go, I have to go after him," I said, looking at him with a confused and desperate expression. He sighed and relaxed his hand but caught my shoulder when I tried to leave again.

"Nessie, think about it. He's the Alpha of that wolf pack in La Push, right? Doesn't he need to be with them? He's gotta' protect his own first, he can't be coming here all the time to check on you," he reminded me, a strange look in his eye. I relaxed and stopped trying to pull away from him because… well, because he made sense. I'd always thought of myself as being one of Jacob's own, but truthfully, he was dedicated to the pack in a way he never could be to me. They needed him and the control and direction he provided as their leader.

I sighed and relaxed against Cameron, surprised when he put an arm around my shoulders.

"Let's just get the shopping and go home, okay?" he spoke gently and I nodded, trying my best to ignore Aiden who I could see watching us from the end of the aisle again. It was strange how the conflicting parts of my life fit together. I could be concerned about the petty quandaries of High School and be miserable about making my eternal soul-mate-match upset at the same time. Life is weird.

It was obvious Jake was angry because of what he saw. From the outside, Cameron and I looked like a couple, because that's what we had been aiming for to appease Aiden and the shallow teenagers of Lytton High. But Jake didn't know about our stupid lie to Morgan and if I didn't chase after him and tell him the truth he would naturally assume the worst. The worst being…. Me and Cameron… together.

I knew why Jacob was upset and I desperately longed to chase after him and explain, but my logic and reasoning took over and I stayed put and instead thought about why he'd run off.

Jacob and I weren't involved romantically, but did that mean he thought that because I wasn't with him, I couldn't be with another? Did he really think that? I didn't know and I felt my lips pull into a frown as we approached the register to pay for our goods. I didn't like for him to be mad at me, but my own anger was slightly sparked over his assumption that he owned me like that. True, we were imprinted and that would bind us for life in a way no other person could understand, but that didn't mean I couldn't be with anyone else, did it?

I couldn't stop myself from inhaling deeply, searching for his familiar scent outside of the store. Traces of his unique fragrance lingered around the outer edges of the car park and seemed strongest on the side that bordered on a forest. He'd ran all the way here and I'd turned him away. Guilt crept over me and I felt a depression sweep through me, despite my constant mantra of: _You're doing the right thing. It'll be better in the long run_.

When we arrived at home after a mostly silent car ride, Cameron helped me put away groceries in the kitchen. I was just putting away the final item- the Fruit Loops ironically enough- when I felt him behind me. Cameron stood directly behind me, almost touching me, but not quite. I turned around slowly and my breathing picked up when I realised that we were facing each other much as we had the day before.

"Renesmee, please don't be sad. I'm sorry I stopped you going after him, I shouldn't have interfered," he apologized, his tone sincere and his eyes gentle. I sighed before I answered him.

"I'm not sad, as such, more… confused. I'm glad you stopped me chasing after him because you're right, he _can't _always be looking after me- he's got responsibilities to the pack. It's just…." I trailed off, looking at my feet, unsure how to phrase what was weighing my thoughts down.

"It's just…?" he prompted me, a finger lifting to my chin and tilting my face back up to look at him.

"Remember how you were, you know, shocked that Jake and I weren't… involved?" I began. He nodded once and I continued. "Well, seeing him today getting so angry over- over you holding my hand, it's just starting to make me wonder about certain things."

"What things?" he asked, his expression obliviously confused. I felt myself blush and my gaze retreated to the floor once more.

"Romantic things. I know you and I aren't, well.. uh, I mean… we're not actually _together_, but what if we were? I mean, would Jake really act like that, just run off like that?" I asked, not quite sure how I was expecting Cameron to know the answer. He breathed out heavily and I felt my insides flutter at the glorious scent that washed over me as he did. _Focus Ness_, I reminded myself.

"Firstly," he began, once again brushing his hand against my face to get me to look at him, "I'd appreciate it if you looked at _me_ when we talk, not the ground," he smiled lightly once. "Secondly, I don't think it's very fair of Jacob to expect that from you. Total and utter faithfulness to him, romantically, when the two of you aren't even involved like that. I can understand his position, how he might think your imprinting changes things, but that doesn't mean he has any ownership over you," he exclaimed, his voice surprisingly fervent.

"It's not like that. I mean, I don't think he thinks he _owns _me… More that he thinks, or rather _assumes_ that if I'm not with _him_- my 'perfect match'- then I won't be with anyone else. That I won't want anyone else. I'm not sure why it bothers me so much, but it does. It never has before…" I explained. I really wasn't sure why it suddenly mattered so much, it truly never had before and even if I hadn't consciously realised it, all the pieces had been there. Why did everything suddenly change so much?

The realisation flew through my brain, coating every thought I had and suddenly it was obvious why I cared so much.

Never before had I had a _reason _to contemplate those things. I'd never really considered anyone else in that way. And there was no denying that, without my even realising it, I was now thinking about someone _else _in that way. My eyes widened slightly and I tried desperately to keep eye contact with him despite what it was doing to me.

If there truly was a God, a hole would open in the floor any second now and I could jump in without ever having to surface again.

No hole appeared and instead I was trapped in Cameron's heady gaze. His eyes were like ice crystals in colour so how was it possible they could burn with such fire? He stared right back, obviously having no regard for my heart whatsoever. Was it possible for a half-vampire to die of a heart attack? I didn't think so, but as mine pumped away deep in my chest, thrumming at a ridiculous speed, I suddenly wasn't so sure.

Finally, he broke our little stance, stepping backwards and resting against the counter. He sighed once, dropping his eyes to his shoes.

"I don't know, Nessie. You're your own person and I think it's up to you to decide what's best for _you_. You shouldn't have to think about what everyone else wants all the time. I know we haven't known each other long but, well, I feel like I sort of know you and…" he trailed off suddenly and my breath hitched slightly as I waited for him to continue.

"And?" I prompted when I couldn't take his silence any longer than the few seconds he had subjected me to.

"I don't know," he sighed, frustrated, as he ran a hand through his slightly messy hair. "I just feel like maybe you should stop beating yourself up over it," he finished, finally looking up to meet my eyes.

"Over what?" I replied, bewildered by his answer.

"Over not loving Jacob. I've listened to how you talk about him, about your relationship. Renesmee, you may love him but you're not _in _love with him and that's shit that you can't change no matter how much you try. We can't choose who or how we love someone," he stated.

What he said struck a nerve in me but rather than impulsively react angrily like I normally would have, like Jacob himself would have done, I thought it through like the rational person I knew was still somewhere deep inside me.

I stood there, my expression no doubt vacantly contemplative as I thought things through.

I loved Jake.

As cliché as it sounded, I wasn't _in _love with him.

I knew that I shouldn't have any obligation to him, to feel more than I did. But did I have them nonetheless?

Yes, I knew I did.

It was all so much for me to come to terms with at once that when I surfaced from my brief reverie, I hadn't decided on anything much at all. I _did _know that Cameron had made a good point and I couldn't be mad at him for that.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he suddenly whispered from across the kitchen. I breathed out heavily before fixing my gaze on him and replying.

"I'm thinking that maybe you're right. I probably shouldn't blame myself as much as I do but sometimes I can't really help it," I spoke quietly, aware of how unhappy my voice sounded and punctuating my words with a gentle shrug.

"Now I'm making you unhappy. I apologize," Cameron suddenly said, his eyes turning apologetic.

"No!" I stammered too quickly. "It's not you, believe me, it's not you. I suppose it was only a matter of time til' this happened. Not that it's really happening," I blushed furiously, surprised by the accompanying feeling that swept over me along with the embarrassment.

It was disappointment.

Worse was the fact that it was painfully obvious why I was disappointed- because I _wanted _it to be happening. I _wanted _to be with someone else other than Jake. And that person was staring at me from across the room, the icy blue-grey in his eyes sparkling in the light from the kitchen ceiling.

I wasn't naïve enough to think I… loved him, but I knew that my feelings were born of the same family as the 'L' word. I definitely wasn't seeing him in the platonic way I should have been. The physical attraction had been one thing but the bonding and sharing over everything else had stirred feelings in me that I didn't know I could have. I'd never experienced them before and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do about them, how I was supposed to process the feelings that had taken over my mind.

As I stood in the kitchen, I settled for an apologetic smile as I retreated towards the stairs, beckoning Cameron along with me. He followed me, unhesitant in following my lead. We entered my room and I led him over to my dresser table. Sitting on the smooth wooden surface was a drawer that I kept all my jewellery in. I'd been spoiled my entire life and the drawer showed it. The box was filled with diamonds and other precious stones, gifts from my doting family. I rarely found excuses to wear them but the thought and care behind each gift never ceased to touch my heart.

But this time I wasn't taking something from the drawer, I was putting something in it.

Sighing, I turned the woven bracelet on my wrist over so the ties faced upwards. I used my free hand and tried to pick the ties undone but realised they were tied too tightly, not giving and inch as they hadn't been untied once since my wrist and the rest of my body had reached full growth.

"Jacob's bracelet?" Cameron's voice asked quietly, his tone blank.

I nodded once and returned to trying to free my wrist from the leathery cords.

Before I could say anything, Cameron's hand was reaching towards my wrist. One of his hands held my forearm, his long fingers overlapping my slender arm, as his other hand began pulling gently at the cords holding the bracelet in place. The leather strands fell away quickly under his touch and skilled fingers. Once it was loose, he grasped the bracelet in his hand, offering it to me.

I smiled sadly and shook my head, taking the bracelet from him briefly and placing it inside the open drawer.

"I'm not going to feel guilty anymore," I said, speaking with newly found resolve in my voice.

Taking off Jacob's present to me felt wrong, horribly sick and wrong. He was my best friend, my soul mate- even if not a romantic one- and to purposefully distance myself from him like that felt blasphemous.

I shook my head to dispel the guilt rapidly forming in my brain, remembering why I'd done what I had.

"You didn't have to do that for me you know," Cameron suddenly murmured from beside me, one of his hands still resting on my arm.

"I know. I did it for me," I said, turning around and walking away. A second passed as I walked towards my door, heading nowhere in particular, and then I heard the gentle sound of the draw being shut.

I didn't know if it was a sign, if it meant anything that Cameron had just done that. It was like in closing the drawer holding Jacob's gift, he'd just closed the door between Jacob and I.

It seemed ominous, but really, it couldn't be _that_ bad.

I left the room with Cameron at my heels, hoping fervently that I wouldn't regret it and that I'd made the right decision.

I hated guilt almost as much as I hated being helpless.

***

"Say Nessie, did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?" a male voice suddenly whispered from beside me in the middle of English class.

"Did it hurt when they beat you with the ugly stick?" I returned, a smirk on my face as I saw Cameron smile in defeat.

Nearly two weeks had passed since we'd last seen Jacob at the grocery store. We still attended High School to blend in so Cameron and I had recently invented ways of amusing ourselves to pass the boredom and tedium that school provided.

Currently, we were playing one of our newly developed games: Pick-me-fail.

It was where one of us had to use a pick-up line on the other and the other would try their best to reject them. From the expression on his face, I'd say I'd just won that round.

"Damn, you're so good at this," he whispered through muffled laughter.

"Trust me, I've had practise," I muttered with a roll of my eyes, thinking of all the attempts at pick-ups people had used on me.

"Renesmee Masen, Cameron Reid! Are you paying attention?" the teacher's voice snapped from the front of the room.

"Yes Ma'am," we replied in unison, causing laughter to erupt around the room.

"Eyes to the front," the elderly woman grumbled, turning back to the black board.

Time had flown by and between school and social activities planned by the infamous Sasha, Cameron and I had mostly spent our time getting to know each other. I'd soon found out what a great sense of humour he had, how he managed to make me laugh even when I was feeling down. He had a particular gift for helping me forget about my family whenever plaguing thoughts about their fate would enter my mind.

I sighed as I thought about them, what their predicament still was. I'd rang Carlisle twice, my father four times, Alice three times and my mother at least six times. Each time the phones had gone to message bank. Each time, my heart sunk just that little bit more. Usually, Cameron could pull me out of my depressive spiral after I'd made the calls, but he could only do so much.

I'd only left one message, on my mother's cell, that told her I missed her and I wanted to know if they were safe. Clearly they were still in Volterra and under scrutiny by the Volturi members, otherwise they would've answered or at least returned my calls. I didn't know what Aro wanted with them and I was puzzled about why I hadn't heard from them. The idea of calling Italy and trying to talk to someone in the Volturi had crossed my mind, but I'd dismissed it quickly; it wasn't like they'd have an ad in the yellow pages.

For the past two weeks, my life had been just a mix of worry about my family and despite how inappropriately timed they were- my growing feelings for Cameron.

Every day I'd woken up with a ridiculous amount of anxiety about seeing his face again. I wasn't complete until I walked down that corridor and saw his grey eyes, his smile. Some days, when his hair would stick up around his face, I would swear silently that I'd never seen anything more beautiful.

It wasn't just physical, either. I'd grown to appreciate him as a friend and I knew that while my stupid crush would likely ruin that for me, I still enjoyed his company in that way.

"Nessie, you there?" Cameron suddenly asked me as the bell rang, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Wah? I mean, yes, I'm here. Just spaced out for a moment," I muttered.

"Well I gotta' head off to Spanish. I'll see you at lunch," he said, turning and walking off down the corridor.

And it was things like that that threw me off completely.

The start of this week he'd asked to be transferred from our Art class to Spanish. I hadn't understood but hadn't said anything when he suggested it. It wasn't like he'd expressed a distaste for Art. It had felt strangely like a type of rejection. Or something like that.

I was probably just being stupid. I shouldn't take it personally.

Sometimes, in fact, most of the time, he acted perfectly normal. And then he would turn around and act completely differently for a few hours. It was never a good change either, always bad. He would treat me like a stranger, suddenly changing his behaviour around me.

It reminded me of the night after I'd fainted. It was like a switch had been flicked, like he'd had a complete personality make over. But then he would return to normal almost straight away again.

I was, to say the least, confused.

"Hey there Nessie," an irritatingly familiar voice suddenly sounded from beside me as I changed my books at my locker. Why God? Why did I have to be assigned the locker next to Kyle? Usually Cameron was there with me which worked in preventing Kyle from hitting on me, but no, now Kyle knew to find me between third and fourth period.

"Hello Kyle," I smiled politely as I picked up my last book. I didn't wait for him to reply, slamming my locker and starting off toward Art. I didn't have to look behind me to know he was following me.

Truly, most girls would've been excited by the idea of an attractive Senior chasing them. But I wasn't. It wasn't like he was in love with me- we both knew he just wanted to get into my pants. He made that blatantly obvious every time he thought I'd walked out of hearing range.

"So, I see your boyfriend doesn't like Art so much. You know, I'm _really _into Art," Kyle spoke with an undertone of sleaze to his voice. I'd never heard him without it and I was pretty sure it was ingrained in his speech, like a stutter is. Only, a stutter could be considered cute or endearing. Kyle's arrogance mostly just made me want to hit him with something.

Something pointy.

"That's nice Kyle. Good for you," I replied with mock sweetness, turning down another corridor. I knew this was the point where he had to leave me to go to gym and I smiled a real smile for the first time since I'd heard his voice.

"Hey wait up," he called from behind me, reaching out and grabbing my elbow to stop me from walking away. I sighed in frustration as I spun to face him and waited for him to say whatever was occupying his small brain.

"So, it's Gary Toddson's eighteenth party soon. I was wondering… you wanna' go with me?" he asked with a cocky grin.

There went that violent urge again.

Was it ironic that it was the vampire who wanted to impale the human with a pointy object? Probably.

"I can't, sorry. I'm going with my _boyfriend_," I emphasized the last word in a hope that would finally deter him. And it wasn't even a lie. Cameron and I had been invited the day before and agreed to go together.

"He doesn't have to know now, does he?" he trailed off suggestively, using the hand that had grabbed my elbow to pull me closer to him.

"Let go," I snapped, pulling out of his grasp easily.

"Fine, but you don't know what you're missing," he smirked as he turned and sauntered away down the corridor. I held back a snort as I pushed my way into the Art room.

**Cameron POV**

"Where's Carolina?" I snapped into the phone, losing my patience with the human oaf on the other end of the line.

"She can't come to the phone right now. She's…. busy," he spoke with an edge of nervousness in his voice that unleashed a wave of anxiety in me.

"Where. Is. She?" I growled, praying to whoever the Hell was up there that she hadn't been harmed.

"I, uh, I'll put someone else on, hold on," he stammered and his words were caked with fear. I huffed angrily and sat on a mossy log as I waited for whoever was speaking to talk. I was in the forest again, not wanting Renesmee to walk in on me making another phone call. I couldn't let her hear. We'd been getting on so well for the past week and a half and I didn't want to ruin that. Part of me had feared she would be angered by my reaction to seeing her Jacob at the grocery store but she appeared to have taken it in her stride.

I started tapping my fingers angrily against my knee as I waited for the phone to change hands.

"Yes?" a feminine, high, reedy voice inquired softly into the phone.

I froze, nearly dropping the phone as my fingers locked.

Jane.

"Where is Carolina? I was promised she would not be harmed," I spoke more calmly to her than I had to the man but some of my fear and irritation leaked through.

"She has not been... harmed," was the simple reply. I wanted to shout at her, demand where Carolina was but my fear for the small vampire was so ingrained from my last encounter with her that I didn't dare. I could still remember experiencing her gift with far too much clarity to ever incur her wrath intentionally. The day we'd been captured by the Volturi was far too fresh in my mind to ever risk angering her…

"_Don't touch her!" I shouted at the small vampire about to lay a hand on Carolina's small form. The vampire's blonde head snapped around to face me and the other two vampires that had been restraining me immediately released me. I attempted to run forward to grab my human friend and escape- even knowing how futile it was, I had to try- but I was flat on my back by the time I'd taken three steps. _

_Agony gripped me as I lay screaming on the ground. There was nothing in the world but the pain and there was certainly nothing worth living for. Surely I was dead, no pain could ever compare to this, no one could live through this experience. _

_No human could. A vampire would be able to. As a mixture of both, I knew the pain I was in was double what I would experience if I were one or the other. _

_Time lost meaning. It could have been seconds, minutes, hours. I couldn't have told you how long I writhed under the gaze of the deceptively angelic-looking vampire._

_And then it abruptly cut off. I could feel again, could breathe. _

_I sat up slowly, regarding the situation with new awareness. I'd pretty much already figured out we were screwed when three Volturi members had shown up at our camp site. I'd always feared they'd find me but part of me had held them in the same regard as humans do mythical creatures. Foolish- if you looked at it that way, _I _was a mythical creature after all. I'd always hoped they would never find me, had dreaded the day they would take an interest in me. Today was that day. _

"_Care to rethink your situation?" the female vampire asked, smiling knowingly at me. I flinched under the intensity of her red eyes and nodded slowly as I got to my feet. _

"_Grab the girl, Felix," the smaller of the two male vampires instructed the other, larger one. I wanted desperately to stop the one named Felix, to attack all of them, but after experiencing that pain, I held my position. I severely doubted that I would be able to win a fight against Felix; he was enormously tall and large muscles strained through the grey cloak he wore. _

"_Our leader Aro wishes to speak with you. He has a proposition for you. Come," the blonde one spoke again. I nodded and followed them along the roadside to where a sleek, black car was parked. _

"_Demetri, you drive," the girl ordered again, directing her order at the smaller male. _

"_Yes Jane," he responded, getting in the driver's seat. Jane sat in the passenger seat which left me in the backseat with the giant Felix and Carolina._

_Carolina was still fast asleep and I was slightly comforted by the fact that she hadn't had to endure witnessing any of that. _

"_Please, let me hold her," I asked tentatively as Demetri started the car engine and it sped down the highway. _

_Felix glanced towards the front seat and after receiving a short nod from Jane, he slid her across the seat to me. I sighed in relief as I grasped her small form tightly. I knew she wouldn't awake; she could sleep through anything. I held her close as we drove on through the never ending night. I knew without anyone saying that we were going to Italy. _

_Into the lair of the beast._

**Hurray for chapter 8! **

**My apologies for this one taking a while to write. I've been working 40 hour weeks. I'm not even 16, pretty sure that's illegal : |**

**What word starts with 'R' and ends with 'eview'? Oh, yeah- REVIEW : )**


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Twilight, if I did…. Oh dayem, don't get me started.

Eeep, you probably all hate me for this one taking so long. I went on holidays… *hides under table* Thanks to the people that fav'd while I was gone, when I found out I 'squeed'. In public…. The good people of Bali now think I'm a head case : |

As soon as I get back into school routine, we can hope I will fall into a more regular updating pattern. I solemnly swear on Edward that- unless under extreme circumstances- I will never take this long to update again!

Now we get to see what the Cullens are up to : D

Thanks for your patience, you guys are awesome!

-Chapter 9-

**Alice POV**

I frowned infinitesimally as my gaze swept one again around the room I stood in. My family stood with me, each in our their secluded corner of the room. We each stood with our respective partners, Edward and Bella, Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, and of course, Jasper and myself.

It was a large, open room with no furniture. Cold, metal walls surrounded us, walls we could once have easily broken through, but not now. Starved of blood, even animal blood, we were all weak. Our strength was still far superior to a human's, but not one of us, even Emmett, could break through the thick, titanium walls.

Not that we were trying terribly hard.

Because, outside the walls, were humans. They were as trapped as we were in this Volturi prison. But we could still smell them, their tempting blood. If any of us broke through the wall, it would be impossible for us to resist. I don't think even Carlisle would be able to hold back. Not one of us had drank blood for over a month.

We were certain Aro had planned it that way, knowing that Carlisle would be unable to condemn so many innocent humans. Even in exchange for our family's freedom.

And he was right. There was no way we could break out of our prison without killing so many innocent people.

I turned my thoughts from that avenue, knowing my thirst wouldn't be helping Jasper who could sense it in my emotions. I turned to smile hollowly at him and he returned a grimace, gripping my hand tighter. He was so thirsty and I knew he was struggling much more than the others. I was the only one who dared stand near him. But that was because I knew him. He wouldn't hurt me, no matter how thirsty he became.

I sighed, bringing my head back against the metal wall behind me.

"Alice?" Bella's voice came from across the room where she stood with my favourite brother. I looked up to answer her quizzical gaze.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Can you see her? _Please_," she begged. I sighed, knowing immediately who she spoke of.

Renesmee.

Each day she'd asked me at least once if I could see anything of her daughter's future.

I shut my eyes obligingly, spacing out into the world of abyss that granted me access to my gift. I felt my vision tilt slightly and then… nothing.

I groaned, clenching my fists into my sides to try and release some of my pent up frustration. I couldn't see a damn thing. Renesmee's future was nothing but a vortex of confusion and a constant headache. In the past it had always been mildly difficult to interpret her future, but currently? Impossible.

Just as I had that thought, a new image sprung up, one I hadn't seen before.

Renesmee was… dancing with someone. She looked gloriously happy, her face flushed a delighted pink as she twirled in a graceful circle. I hid my thoughts quickly, unsure if Edward should know them just yet.

My eyes opened just in time to see Edward's head snap up from across the room to look at me, his gaze penetrating my mind.

"Tell me what you saw," he demanded harshly whilst Bella grabbed his arm. I really liked that about her. Restraining my brother was difficult, even for Emmett, but Edward wouldn't break out of his mate's grasp.

"You know what I know, Edward. I can't _see _anything!" I returned, trying to lie smoothly as I began mentally reviewing the list of Ancient Egyptian dynasties- backwards.

"You're blocking me, Alice. I want to know why," he growled, for once not relaxing at Bella's touch. I fought back a smile. It was such an Edward thing to say. He was such a know-it-all.

"Alice? What did you see?" Bella repeated, her gaze almost identical to Edward's. I smiled innocently, dejectedly.

"The same as usual. Her future's all torn up right now. I don't know what tell you two, I honestly don't know," I replied.

They both sighed as they turned to comfort one another.

I felt almost guilty for a moment, but then I reminded myself why I was doing it. Aro could be back any moment, trying to pry into Edward's thoughts. I didn't know who Nessie was dancing with but it could be important information and I certainly didn't want Aro getting a hold of it.

So far, Bella had managed to shield us from him- and Jane's- powers. But from the permanent crease in her brow that even Edward failed to smooth out, I knew it was taking its toll on her. She couldn't shield us all forever, especially not whilst so thirsty.

Our escape plan was flawed at best but I couldn't see whether or not it would work yet. We planned to wait until the next time Aro visited and then try and make a show of brute force to escape. No doubt they were anticipating it but it was better than standing in a cell and waiting for our end to come naturally. Carlisle knew better than any of us that it wasn't possible to starve a vampire to death- er, second death really if you thought about it. But it was already bordering extremely uncomfortable and entering mildly painful territory.

It pained me to no end to see Jasper in such pain. I would quickly sacrifice myself if it would mean he got some blood, and soon. His eyes were dark and stranger-like. I could still see my love reflected there and the man I loved was still dominant inside but I could only pray it would last until we could somehow make it out of here.

"Alice?" Rosalie's voice suddenly queried from across the room. I turned to look at her, noticing not for the first time how dishevelled her appearance was. Her natural beauty was still noticeable on her face, but deep purple shadows ringed her black eyes, giving her a gaunt, almost petrified look.

"What about the child?" she asked me and I was taken aback by the fervour in her voice.

I remembered who she was talking about, of course. The small, human girl we'd come across when we'd been lured here by Aro.

Carolina.

We were being escorted to this very room, to our cell when she'd waved her tiny palm at us, her attention riveted on Rosalie's face. "Mommy," she'd whispered before being ushered away. I could remember perfectly the way Rosalie's face had frozen for a few seconds before being overcome with the biggest smile I'd ever seen on her face.

"She called me mommy," Rosalie had whispered, holding onto Emmett's arm as though it was the only thing keeping her standing. Emmett, being Emmett, had smiled at his wife's joy but I'd noticed the concern flit through his features. He was wondering why Rosalie was so happy because of a stranger human child.

I agreed with him; nothing good could possibly become of her becoming attached to a fragile human child.

**Renesmee POV**

I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side. The cotton sheets and soft pyjamas I wore, making no difference to my relationship with the world of slumber. I groaned and rolled over again as I tried desperately once more to summon the sleep I knew was out there somewhere, eluding me. I frowned when I realised I couldn't concentrate on relaxing when I was so preoccupied by thoughts… Thoughts of _him_.

One sheep.

Two sheep.

Three- _Oh for the love of God, stop rationalizing farm animals and go talk to him_, my inner teenager shouted at me.

I sighed wearily as I sat up in my bed.

Cameron was keeping me awake again.

He didn't do it on purpose, I was sure, but for the past few nights, I hadn't been able to sleep soundly- all because of him. Ever since the Jacob incident at the grocery store, we'd done nothing but grown closer, our friendship somehow flourishing amidst the confusion in our lives. Now, I couldn't even sleep in my own home because of the simple knowledge that he was under the same roof as I, so close.

Now, when I wasn't with him, I was _thinking _about being with him. When alone, I'd think of something interesting or funny and couldn't wait to tell him. He had steadily grown into something more than an acquaintance or a house guest. I didn't even know what he was to me anymore, but I knew that I had developed an unhealthy obsession. I was addicted to Cameron.

And that's how I'd ended up sitting in my bed, indecision on my face, for the past three nights running. The first two nights I had stayed up until some ludicrous hour thinking about him, thinking about talking to him, only to realise that time had escaped me and I couldn't go and talk to him whether I liked it or not, as he would be asleep.

Last night, I'd made it all the way to my bedroom door before deciding I was being idiotic, irrational. I would be seeing him in the morning anyway, what was ten more hours?

Ten. Long. Hours.

Insomnia had never been a problem with me and it was startling to realise that a _guy_ was the cause of it. I felt insanely guilty and immature that it wasn't fear for my family that was keeping me awake anymore. Nope- it was my stupid crush on my housemate.

I sighed and got unsteadily to my feet, resolve forming as I stared at the blank wooden door of my room.

I was going to talk to him. I was going to pacify the unreasonable need inside of me. I was going to- _Oh who are you kidding you wimp, you're not going anywhere_, that same voice from before mocked me. I frowned and strode forward, opened the door and marched down the corridor to his door.

It was left slightly open and I could tell the light was on and I smiled, glad he was still awake.

"Nessie?" his voice asked from inside the door. It came from lower down and I guessed he was sitting on the floor.

"It's me. Uh, can I come in?" I asked hesitantly, some embarrassment catching up with me already.

"Sure," was his reply, and I pushed the door open to find what I'd learned was a usual site for him. He was lying face up on the plush carpet with his knees bent upwards and his ankles crossed on the floor. As soon as I took in his posture, my stupid teenage brain without delay jumped to the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. An internal swoon took place immediately thereafter. _Swoon? Seriously Nessie?_ The voice mocked me. _Shutup internal voice_….

Great, now I was talking to myself.

"Hey," he greeted, grinning as he pushed himself up off the floor to a standing position in one swift motion.

"Hey," I smiled back. "I hope I'm not interrupting-" I began but he laughed and spoke over me.

"Interrupting what? Me lying on the floor? You worry too much," he smirked as he took a seat on the side of his bed. I smiled simply because he did and took a few steps further into the room.

"What's up?" he asked, patting the bed beside him.

"Nothing really. I just… I couldn't sleep," I muttered, suddenly wishing I'd thought up a better excuse to be in his room.

"I'm not exactly tired either," he smiled wryly and I got the impression I was missing out on some kind of private joke. I raised a curious eyebrow but he just shrugged, snickering under his breath.

"Do you mind if I sit in here and talk with you for a bit?" I asked timidly, irrationally afraid of rejection.

"You even have to ask?" he laughed.

I blushed, filling with relief, but returned his smile anyway and walked over, taking a seat in the armchair in the corner of the room rather than the one beside him on the bed. God, I wanted to sit with him, but didn't trust myself so close to him. Especially while he wasn't wearing any shirt. Knowing myself recently, my frequent blushes and stupid crush on him, I'd probably do or say something stupid if forced into a close proximity to him.

A ghost of a frown crossed his face as I sat down and I had to do a mental double-take before I was sure I'd seen it. Was he sad I wasn't sitting with him? Did he want me to?

"So, are you excited for Gary's party next weekend?" he asked, directing an eye roll in my direction. The novelty of high school was beginning to wear thin on him. Finally.

"Oh yeah, so pumped," I spoke in a monotone, earning laughter from both of us.

"Do we even know the kid?" Cameron asked, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"He's friends with my good buddy, _Kyle_," I emphasized the last word, my voice saturated in sarcasm. At that, Cameron's expression abruptly changed from one of good humoured amusement to irritation.

"Why do you put up with him?" he asked me suddenly.

"Kyle?" I clarified unnecessarily. He nodded. "It's just easier than outright rejecting him. If I did that I'm fairly certain it would only spur him on more," I explained.

"It couldn't hurt to try. He's under the impression you're currently playing hard-to-get," Cameron informed with a twisted smile from across the room.

I laughed hard for a few seconds, the ridiculousness of it making me hysterical.

"Since when do you talk to Kyle?" I giggled.

"Gym class. And it's not by choice, trust me," he muttered the last part. I looked at him quizzically but he wouldn't meet my gaze.

"What do you mean exactly?" I prodded.

"Hey, what unit did we have to finish for History again?" he abruptly changed the subject. I frowned at him, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Cameron?" I asked in a reproachful voice. I was insanely curious. What if Kyle had said something bad about me? What if-

"It's nothing," Cameron cut my thoughts off.

"If it's nothing then why won't you tell me?" I returned. He huffed out a sigh and I repressed a triumphant smile, knowing he was about to break.

"It's not really my place to talk about it," he hedged, looking up from under his lashes at me. I nearly caught my breath at the sight and I wondered if he realised just how alluring he looked when he did it. I snapped out of my little trance quickly, my thoughts turning slightly alarmed.

Oh God, Kyle _had _said something bad. Something Cameron didn't even want to talk to me about.

"Please?" I asked in a soft voice. I watched as he returned my gaze, surprised when I saw his eyes blur a little.

"Fine," he sighed. "Let's just say his vulgar comments about you take a far more distasteful turn in the locker room. More… er, graphic." I inhaled sharply once, my eyes widening. I suddenly wished I hadn't asked him at all. How embarrassing. I couldn't even feel angry at Kyle, knowing deep down it was just boys being boys. But Cameron hearing those things about me, horny teenage boy thoughts, well, it was more than embarrassing. I felt a wave of unjustified shame wash over me.

"Oh. I'm sorry if you were offended by the things they said. It was probably very uncomfortable for you to hear," I mumbled, averting my eyes to one corner of the room. The carpet _really _did match the walls nicely, though I thought maybe I would have chosen a few shades darker in both colours. It was interesting the way the light-

"Nessie," Cameron said, cutting off my thoughts.

"Yes?" I replied, still looking at the corner.

"Nessie, look at me."

I didn't move, too embarrassed too even blush.

"Please?" he added when I didn't at first comply.

I looked up slowly, dragging my gaze slowly up to meet his eyes. They were darker than I was used to seeing them, surprising me slightly as my eyes reached his. They were also imploring, apologetic and slightly angry. I knew the anger wasn't directed at me, but at the shallow High School boy who'd been saying such things in the first place, but a small part of me still shied away reflexively.

His face broke as he saw my reaction and he immediately started to get to his feet, one hand twitching half towards me before he let it fall to his side and sat back down.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," he said, blushing slightly himself.

"It's not your fault. You take your average teenage boy, plus an average teenage girl and you will always end up with the same result." I laughed nervously, trying to break the sudden tension. He laughed too and I smiled in relief, glad we weren't going to dwell on this.

"I think I remember him mentioning he was going to 'give up the game' and ask you something tomorrow," he said, smiling mischievously.

"What?"

"Oh, I'll let him ask you," he smirked and I frowned, not looking forward to what he spoke of at all. "You'd think he'd never met an 'average' girl before," he laughed, using air quotations as he parroted my term from earlier.

"Shutup," I laughed.

"Average…" he muttered in what seemed like an incredulous manner under his breath and I thought I saw him roll his eyes. He caught himself quickly, looking up and grinning sheepishly when he realised I'd heard him. Then his expression suddenly changed.

"You're so much more than that," he murmured, looking directly at me. I was startled by his words, by the intensity with which he uttered them, but I didn't flinch away under his stare.

A long moment passed as we stared into each other's eyes. A silent message seemed to pass between us but it was like trying to squint through dark tinted glass to read small print. I couldn't quite understand the message but some parts seeped through.

He thought I was more than average.

_You're so much more than that…_

I wanted desperately to ask him what he'd meant but I didn't dare break the powerful silence that had settled over us.

It was him that spoke first, letting his eyes close as he did so.

"I think we'd better get some sleep now. Wouldn't want to be late for school," he said, his eyes still shut. I nodded softly before I remembered he wasn't watching.

"Yes. Goodnight, Cameron," I said, accidentally brushing his hand with mine as I walked past him to the door. I didn't feel him move as my fingertips brushed against him, though, and I smiled softly to myself as I returned to my room.

I settled myself beneath the covers, letting the warmth envelope me as I felt sleep beginning to take me.

That was the first night I dreamt of him. The image still fixed behind my eyelids when I woke up the next morning was the two of us, joined at the lips.

I rolled out of bed with the biggest grin on my face.

***

**Cameron POV**

I couldn't stop the thrilled feeling that swept through me when Renesmee's hand lightly touched mine as she passed me to leave my room. The strangest urge to catch her hand and use it to pull her down to me surged through me in that instant and I had to physically restrain myself from touching her.

Her touch couldn't be described by anything other than fire. Like a jolt of red hot flame seeping through me. I couldn't even open my eyes to look at her for fear she'd see what had taken over me.

Just remembering Kyle's crude words, the unintentional fantasies his words had spun in my own mind…

I wanted her.

I was disgusted with myself.

I could not and should not want this girl.

Even so, that night my dreams were filled with her. We weren't doing any of the explicit things that Kyle had disgustingly suggested but in my dream world, we were together and it was not in a platonic way. I dreamt about the sweet taste and soft touch of her lips and the next morning when I woke up I couldn't help the natural smile that covered my face as I recalled the dream.

I caught myself as I was brushing my teeth in the small adjoining bathroom that the guest room offered. _Quit smiling idiot, you've got a job to do. It wouldn't pay for Aro to know you've been having dreams about the girl you're supposed to betray_, I thought to myself. A wave of disappointment rolled over me as I remembered my promise to myself so many nights ago to try and distance myself from her.

I was failing dismally. She was just always.. _there_. Every time I tried to convince myself I needed to stop acting so friendly with her, she'd tell a joke, start an interesting conversation. She would be…. herself. And I simply couldn't tear myself away. It was irrational, inexplicable, but every moment spent apart from her somehow felt wasted.

Especially Spanish class. I'd transferred out of our joint Art class in a rare moment of strength and had been inwardly regretting it ever since. Sitting in the back row and trying to concentrate on Senorita Rosesca while the human girls fawned all over me, fighting over the seat next to me was beginning to take its toll. I'd taken to getting to class early and occupying the empty chair with whatever object I could find. Of course, as soon as they'd figured that out, they'd started arriving to class early, too. I couldn't win.

The class itself wasn't exactly fascinating, either; I'd been fluent in Spanish since I was three years old and had taught myself from a dictionary I'd found in my travels. During the hour when I wasn't being distracted by inane female chatter, my thoughts had usually been occupied by my half vampire counterpart. I would wonder what she was thinking. My fingers would reflexively curl into fists when I thought about the guys that were no doubt hitting on her because I wasn't by her side. It was almost enough to make me transfer back to Art class.

Almost.

Surely in the end, this would be far less painful for us. It would be so much easier for her to hate me, an enemy, rather than her boyfriend. _Friend!_ I corrected myself. We'd been using the terms so much in public I had accidentally begun referring to her as my girlfriend in my head.

She wasn't my _real_ girlfriend.

Could never be my real girlfriend.

The wave of inexplicable disappointment rolled over me once more and it felt as though each time it swept over me, another piece of my resolve left with it.

We ate breakfast together as we always did, sharing whatever popped into our heads as we ate our very different breakfasts. She never ceased to raise her eyebrows at my plain toast that I ate each day. I'd been partially covering the real reason why I ate it that way to protect my secret; Carolina. But Nessie already knew about her from the phone call she'd overheard me making a little over a week ago.

"You want to know the real reason I eat my toast like this?" I offered, feeling in a strange mood ever since I'd woken with thoughts of my dream.

"Sure, I guess," she smiled, taking another spoonful of her oatmeal. I watched, transfixed as her lips wrapped delicately around the spoon. _Oh God_… I mentally chastised myself, blinking furiously for a few seconds to clear my head.

"Um. Carolina never liked anything but plain toast. She- " I faltered briefly, by habit about to omit the truth. I'd never told Carolina the truth about her parents so it was strange to think of telling Nessie.

Carolina's father had been a brute, controlling her, hitting her when she didn't obey him. When she was four years old, she'd snuck a single spoonful of red jelly to have on her toast. She'd paid for it, painfully, and ever since then I couldn't convince her to eat anything on her toast, too ingrained in her mind was it that jelly would mean punishment. Since the day she'd told me the reason why she didn't like it- stating it matter-of-factly, like everybody else did the same thing- I hadn't once eaten anything on my toast.

If she couldn't enjoy something sweet with her breakfast then I wouldn't either.

"She had problems with sugar. If I gave her jelly for breakfast I couldn't control her for the rest of the day," I finished lamely, changing my mind at the last second about telling her the truth.

"And you stopped eating jelly because she couldn't eat it?" Renesmee asked, smiling at me in a strange way, her head slightly tilted to the side.

"Something like that," I replied, feeling the strange urge to look down at the table and not meet her eyes.

"That's so sweet," she whispered and I immediately looked back up, the word _sweet_ catching my attention. But I didn't argue the fact.

I was so whipped.

By a six year old.

The thought made me smile and I didn't miss how Renesmee's face brightened as mine did.

"Well, sugar's always been a big part of my diet," she said and I laughed, having noticed it over the past month I'd spent with her. An insatiable sweet tooth.

We both finished our breakfast after that and cleaned our own dishes, a sort of morning routine we'd gotten into. Renesmee usually cooked dinner after the one time she'd accepted my offer of help, I'd ended up making noodles. Ramen in a cup was about the extent of my cooking ability, though one would think I would be a more accomplished cook than a mere human.

"_It's just a guy thing, I think,"_ Renesmee had assured me between laughter after I'd presented the bowl of Chinese noodles to her.

"Time for school?" she said in the present and I nodded, grabbing a pile of books from the dining room table where I'd left them the night before after we'd finished our homework. We approached the cars and by this point we had an agreement. We, and by that I mean I, could take the Lamborghini to school once a week, _if _we parked a mile from the school. It was a Wednesday and I hadn't used my quota yet this week so I shot her a look that she recognized now and she tossed me the car keys.

I grinned as we tore out of the driveway, loving the purr of the engine and the vibrations that filled the car. A giggle from the seat beside me made me look up, probably not a wise idea in the midst of highway traffic, but I was used to it.

"What?" I demanded, smiling as I regarded her face.

"Nothing," she said, pursing her lips to stop laughter from escaping. I raised a sardonic eyebrow, looking briefly at the road before redirecting my gaze to her.

"You just-" she began, flushing a delicate rose color that I'd decided was one of my favourite colours. "You always seem so excited when you drive this car. Like a kid on Christmas morning who got a puppy or a, a bike or something," she rambled. I laughed, understanding her now.

"Considering I've never had a Christmas, I wouldn't know how this compares," I replied, my laughter dying away a little as my thoughts flickered to my lonely, confusing childhood.

"I'm sorry," Renesmee quickly stammered, looking embarrassed and remorseful.

"No, don't be sorry. You weren't to know," I smiled good-naturedly, letting her I know I was truly okay. And for once, I was.

Thinking about my childhood usually stirred feelings of loneliness, emptiness, within me. But not so much anymore. I couldn't help but think that maybe Renesmee was the cause.

A smile not unlike the one I'd worn getting out of bed stayed on my face up until just before lunch time, when something finally happened to disturb my good mood.

"So I hear Kyle's asking Renesmee right now. At her locker. Let's go, I wanna' see what she says," a senior guy from my Spanish class said. I froze in the midst of picking up my books, my eyes going wide.

I'd forgotten Kyle's spoken decision in the locker room from the day before, even though I'd discussed it with Renesmee last night, somehow I'd totally blanked. I'd completely forgotten that he was planning to ask her today. Last night, the thought of his question had amused me but today, in light of my somewhat strange revelations regarding Renesmee, I didn't want him to ask anymore. I didn't want her to have to listen to it.

Unbridled anger overcame me as I left Spanish and walked as quickly as I could while still appearing human towards her locker.

I started down the corridor just in time to watch her turn to see Kyle standing behind her as she changed her books.

"Hey," Kyle said, casually bracing himself against her locker with one arm, practically leaning over her. I wanted to run forwards but for some reason my legs had stopped moving. Oh- the hall was filled with people and I was caught in the mass of people. I struggled against the human bodies that surrounded me, straining my ears to hear what they were saying.

"Hello Kyle," she replied dismissively, turning her head left and right, no doubt looking for an escape.

"Alright. Renesmee? I have something I want to ask you," he began, ever so slightly manoeuvring his arm so he practically had her trapped.

"What is it Kyle? I'm kind of in a hurry," she said.

His next words sounded through the corridor a little too loudly in a sudden lull and the whole of the hallway looked up to see what was happening.

"Will you sleep with me?"

**Renesmee POV**

"Will you sleep with me?" Kyle asked, meeting my eyes carefully with his own.

"I-I-what-wait you can't be- I… what?" I replied, stammering the words as I felt my cheeks turn red. Cameron had mentioned the night before that Kyle's fantasies had gotten worse, but I'd never imagined this. I'd never thought he could be so crude as to ask me outright to have sex with him.

I glanced briefly around us, noticing uncomfortably that the whole corridor had fallen silent to watch.

"I said, I want to sleep with you. Why don't we just give up this little game and get it out there. I want you, I can tell you want me. You don't need to play hard-to-get anymore, you've got me," he said, placing his other arm on the other side of me against the locker. I reflexively leaned backwards, further imprisoning myself in his posture.

"No, Kyle. That's disgusting," I said, narrowing my eyes at him, trying to regain some of my dignity.

"It could be beautiful between us," he promised, dropping his voice to an almost whisper and leaning his head closer towards mine.

"I…" I trailed off lamely, so overcome by embarrassment I couldn't seem to form coherent words.

"Back the hell away from my girlfriend. _Right now_," a voice came from beside me suddenly. Cameron… Thank God. More than relief surged through my veins as I looked up and saw his face. Kyle was obviously as stupid as he looked and he didn't move, instead, narrowing his eyes at Cameron. He opened his mouth, no doubt to protest, but he didn't get the chance to.

Cameron quickly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me swiftly behind him. I almost snorted at the protective stance he took; surely he knew I was more than capable of fighting off Kyle by myself. Well, not in human guise but still….

"Look buddy, we were having a conversation there. What's the matter? Jealous your girl likes talking to me?" Kyle said, provoking Cameron further. I grabbed the top of my friend's forearm, pulling him back towards me slightly. If he started a fight with Kyle and accidentally exposed us, we could both be in a lot of trouble. There was no telling what it could mean for my family.

"He's not worth it," I whispered, moving my lips so quickly and speaking so softly that no one but Cameron would be able to hear me. With a reluctant droop of his shoulders, Cameron let me pull him a few more feet backwards. I met his eye and gave him a meaningful stare and we both started walking in the opposite direction, away from Kyle.

Apparently not enough of a hint.

"Hey Nessie?" Kyle said. I looked over my shoulder, glaring at him. "Think about what I said. I'll want an answer soon," he smirked. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned more completely to face him, still keeping a firm grip on Cameron's arm with one hand.

"Here's your answer," I returned angrily, and for the first time in my life, I flipped someone off. I still had my middle finger raised as I stalked away, leaving behind a chorus of 'oooohs'. My father and probably Esme would have been appalled, having been brought up in a time where such a thing was entirely unacceptable. My mom and Carlisle would have been disapproving but perhaps more understanding. The rest of my family would have laughed.

But I preferred Cameron's reaction.

He slung an arm around my shoulder and drew me tight against him, looking down at me with concern and something else in his eyes as we walked away. I couldn't even remember why I'd been upset only moments ago.

We walked in silence until we reached a seldom used side door to the school and then I let Cameron pull me behind the Science building.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let him even ask you. I'm so sorry, Nessie," he said, still holding tightly onto my hand even though we'd stopped walking.

"It's alright. It's not your fault he's such a- such a-" I muttered angrily, not even able to find a word for it.

"A prick?" Cameron supplied helpfully, smiling slightly.

"Yes! Kyle is a _prick_!" I practically yelled. Cameron looked like he was suppressing laughter and I forgot for a few seconds how much I liked him and glared.

"What. Is. So. Funny?"

"I just don't think I've ever heard you curse before," he laughed as he looked down and seemed to notice for the first time he was still gripping my hand with his. Looking guilty he quickly dropped it and I immediately felt slightly worse.

"I curse all the time," I lied, leaning against the brick wall. Something about him implying my innocence bothered me for some reason. The distraction of our random conversation was helping me forget about my embarrassment and that was alright with me so I just kept rolling with it.

"Give me an example since I've known you," he asked, smirking as he leaned against the wall beside me.

"Uh. Um. That time I accidentally sliced my finger when I made steak last week," I smiled lamely. He burst into laughter and I immediately knew why.

"I don't think that counts. '_Oh darn'_," he quoted me, bent over with laughter. I fought to keep a glare on my face but one look in his eyes had me giggling uncontrollably, too. Long moments passed where we kept up an almost constant stream of laughter. One of us would manage to stop for a few seconds but one glance at the other had us back in stitches again. By the time there was only about ten minutes before the bell rang, I felt much better.

Just in time for Sasha to come bursting out the door with a frantic look on her face. The minute she spied me she rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Oh my God! I heard about what Kyle said to you! _So _not cool! I mean seriously, I can't believe he would even, like, go there. Are you okay sweetie?" she spoke rapidly, swaying slightly on the spot as though the excitement and trauma was too much for her.

"Yeah I'm…. I'm fine," I finished dubiously. I'd been laughing so hard and having such a great time with Cameron I'd completely forgotten why I was upset. I could remember now and the thought still made my cheeks burn but it wasn't so bad anymore.

"Come on, let's go get you something to eat," she announced, slinging one of her little arms over my shoulder and steering me towards the door. I smiled ruefully back at Cameron over my free shoulder and he smiled sympathetically. I heard him say one last thing before I was pulled through door.

"That's my girl…"

**Still hating on me? I won't hold it against you, trust me. I hate it when authors don't regularly update so consider me a hypocrite! **

**Good news though, I have already written most of the next two chapters. Just a bit of editing and maybe some tying up loose ends : ) have high hopes Chapter 10 will be up by next weekend at the latest.**

**Do you guys want more Cullen POVs? A Carolina POV? And do you prefer Cameron or Nessie POVs? I write to please so let me know what you want to read.**

**I don't deserve it but… review?? **


	10. Chapter 10

See, I'm being good! This chapter didn't take as long as last one… And I know I said it would be up that weekend but…. Well, my chapters never turn out the way I think they're going to so I had to pretty much retype the whole first half of this baby…. Don't be angry, let's hope it was worth it. 

But you may still hate me at the end of this one…. We'll see… enjoy the chapter- though my awesome Beta (Nicarla) would have you believe they're now called 'shapters'… Oh the wonder of typos….

Review?

-Chapter 10-

"_Please_ Nessie!" Sasha begged, adopting a desperate pout as I backed away from her slowly. I inwardly sighed with weariness but kept the smile on my face as I replied. She had been pretty good to me all afternoon after the 'Kyle incident', as we were calling it, at lunch.

"Sasha… I don't even really want to go to this party. Why should I have to get dressed up?" I returned, glancing around me, looking for Cameron to come and save me from her.

"But you _are _going! So… don't you want to look as nice as you can?" she said, smirking as she realised she'd caught me.

"Can't I just get dressed at home?" I mumbled to no one in particular, knowing when to admit defeat but clinging desperately to the hope that I could somehow get out of going to Sasha's house to get ready for Gary's party in a few days.

"Do you have a hair straightener and someone capable of operating it at your house?" she demanded, apparently losing patience with my evasiveness. She reminded me of Alice in that way.

"Well… no," I sighed and she smiled widely, knowing she'd won.

"I'll drive you to my place after school on Friday," she gushed, walking away to her car with a spring in her step. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me as I walked to my own car. Some people were so easily pleased.

"What was that all about?" Cameron asked me a few minutes later as we were driving home.

"I just agreed to be subjected to hours of torture to get ready for the party on Friday," I admitted, shaking my head at myself. Sometimes I was such a push-over.

"Ouch. My sympathies," he chuckled from the passenger seat.

"Thanks," I said dryly.

"And… how are you doing? You know, after what happened at lunch?" he spoke hesitantly, as if worried I would have a break down if he were too crass about it.

My hands reflexively tightened on the wheel and I let out of a sigh as I recalled how embarrassed I'd been at lunch.

"I'm doing okay. I'm still incredibly embarrassed-"

"Don't be. You're not the desperate loser who has to ask young girls to have sex with him," he reminded me.

"True. He doesn't know I'm only seven," I laughed, the thought making me picture him being arrested.

"I forget most of the time," Cameron said quietly, a shadow of a frown crossing his face. Something about his tone set off some kind of alarm in my head but I ignored it and instead focused on his face. He looked perturbed by something and I couldn't place my finger on it, but there was something different in his eyes.

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?" He looked up distractedly, running a hand through his beautiful hair and mussing it up slightly on one side.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm just tired is all," he muttered, smiling sideways at me. It didn't quite reach his eyes but I nodded and turned back to the road, sensing he didn't want to talk about it. Whatever 'it' was.

When we got home, he still seemed distant and I decided to give him space. After grabbing a bite to eat, he trudged up the stairs slowly and I felt a pang of sadness go through me as I watched his retreating form. He was obviously bothered by something and I had a feeling it wasn't about what had happened at lunch.

I sat down in the living room and flipped through channels on our superfluously sized screen, not really noticing or caring what I watched. Cameron was somehow bothered by something and the ignorance I felt about it was killing me. Just knowing he was feeling less than happy was digging at me. I wanted him to always be happy.

Around six o'clock I started making dinner. There was never usually a rhyme or reason to what I made but that night I decided to make something extra special to try and cheer him up. I was nothing special in the kitchen but Cameron had always seemed to appreciate my cooking so I sat on the small kitchen stool for about ten minutes thinking of what I could possibly make.

He ate pretty much everything and I couldn't think of anything he would possibly prefer over anything else. I'd noticed his simpler taste but after he'd told me about why he ate his toast the way he did, I didn't want to make any assumptions.

The way he'd spoken of his Carolina had been one of the cutest things I'd ever seen. Any and all musings that maybe he'd lied to me about her, about her truly just being a human child, had vanished. He spoke of her the way an older brother would dote upon his baby sister. And watching him blush slightly when I told him he was sweet was just an added bonus.

I smiled lazily as I reminisced before bringing myself back to reality. Whatever happiness he'd been swept up in this morning or even during our laughing fit at lunch seemed to have disappeared during the afternoon. For what reason- I couldn't imagine.

I sighed sadly and shut the recipe book, the soft breeze from its pages closing, pushing my hair back from my face. I shrugged my shoulders in defeat and stood from the stool.

"Cameron?" I called up the stairs, having decided I would just ask him what he felt like eating.

I waited patiently by the bottom of the stairs for a reply but when a few seconds of silence passed I immediately felt uneasy.

"Cameron? Are you there?" I called a little more loudly, as though I were speaking to a human.

When no answer greeted me I placed my foot on the bottom step and took a deep breath. I was initially sceptical about invading his privacy but dismissed that thought as curiosity overwhelmed me. I called his name a third time as I ascended the stairs and approached his closed door. When there was no answer, I couldn't stop the anxiety from creeping further forward.

I hesitated at his door before turning the handle but once I did and I pushed the door open my eyes went wide. His room was empty, a small pile of clothes neatly folded and resting on his made bed were the only signs that he'd even been there. Where was he?

A feeling a dread of hit me and felt like a stone plummeting to the pits of my stomach as my mind immediately started jumping to conclusions.

He'd finally gotten sick of me.

He'd finally come to his senses and abandoned me. The same way I felt abandoned by my family…

I gasped out loud, my knees actually buckling beneath me as a new horror presented itself in my head.

What if the Volturi had come for him?

No. No, no, no! Not another person I cared about.

I hunched over my bent knees for a few long seconds. Breathe in, breathe out. _Or stop breathing altogether and save yourself the trouble_, my inner voice suggested brightly. I took a huge gulp of air and straightened up, wondering if maybe there was some clue as to where he could be. I looked desperately around the room and noticed for the first time a piece of white paper, folded in half and sitting on his pillow. I sprung to my feet and made a dive for it, pulling it to me with trembling fingers. It was a letter addressed to me.

_Renesmee,_

_Please understand. I need some time to be alone, to think. It is _**not** _your fault. I wish I could stay to be your protector, to watch out for you, but right now I am in no frame of mind to fulfil such a role. _

_I'll be back by Friday night._

There were a series of words that I couldn't make out because of the many lines he'd crossed through them, before his signed name at the bottom. I squinted at the page, trying to determine what any of them could be but he'd so thoroughly scribbled over them it was impossible.

It was a few seconds before what he said fully hit me. He was gone, but he was coming back. It was Tuesday so that meant only a few more days….

I was still devastated but... he was coming back! He wasn't going to abandon me! I let the relief encompass me for a few seconds, sagging against one of his pillows.

Big mistake- it smelled exactly like him. The light aroma of the familiar fabric softener mixed with his scent sent a spark through me that just made me long for him to be back even more. I didn't want to be alone, but even more than that, I didn't want to be without _him_ specifically. Things already felt wrong and I'd only gone an hour without seeing him.

I was so pathetic.

What did he have to be alone to think about?

Where was he?

I got slowly to my feet, folding the letter gently and slipping into my pocket. I was secretly glad to have something of his left behind, in case he didn't come back. The clothes in his room weren't really his, they'd been bought with Cullen money. When I thought about it, the only definite sign that he'd ever been here, that he was real, was the piece of paper in my front pocket.

Whatever he was going through, Cameron didn't want me there.

I'd be lying if I said the realisation didn't sting. A lot.

I trudged morosely back down the stairs to the kitchen and grimaced when I saw the cookbook on the counter where, just minutes ago, I'd been trying to find a way to cheer him up. _Bit late for that_, I chided myself as I sunk down onto the stool again.

The next few days were going to be hell.

***

"Do you think he dumped her?"

"What kind of idiot would dump Nessie Masen? She's _hot_,"

"Maybe _she _dumped _him_?"

I kept my head down at school on Wednesday, trying to avoid the whispers and gossip that was running rampant about the school. I felt like the words were following me, trying to make things impossibly worse.

Waking up and walking down those stairs, alone, and knowing I would be so for the next few days was not something I enjoyed in the slightest. The feeling of depression had swathed over me further as soon as I made breakfast, instinctively putting down a piece of bread in the toaster for Cameron. As soon as I'd pushed the lever I'd realised my mistake and pressed the 'cancel' button immediately.

It was a lonely breakfast.

And it proved to be a lonely school day. Sasha was away with some kind of illness and my other friends obviously hadn't felt up to approaching me about the matter. So instead, speculation had swirled around like the damn plague and I'd had nobody to talk to. Except Morgan. She'd made a point of talking to me…

"So I see he's finally through with you," she'd laughed, her eyes narrowed mockingly in my direction as I changed my books.

"Shutup, Morgan, you don't know what you're talking about," I'd said angrily, turning on my heel and slamming my locker behind me.

I smiled grimly at the memory and couldn't help but wonder why I hadn't started treating her the way she deserved long ago.

Wednesday night I didn't slept a wink, my thoughts refusing to silence themselves once I shut my eyes. It was masochistic to be torturing myself with images of his face, his smile, but I found myself uncaring. My… friend, really the only friend I had besides Jake that I wasn't related to, had left. I missed him so unbearably much and had the strangest feeling of loss growing inside me by the second.

By the time last lesson rolled around on Thursday I could barely filter my teacher's words anymore. I felt empty, vacant, hollow- _then put down the thesaurus and _do _something about it!_ part of me rebelled.

I wanted so badly to go to him and it had been less than two day since he'd left. Could I make it until Friday night?

I knew the answer and was on my feet the second what I'd known all along hit me. There was no way I could wait until tomorrow night. I had to go to him, somehow find him, right now.

"Renesmee?" my English teacher, Miss Waverbrook, asked when I stood up in the middle of class. My cheeks flushed slightly as I realised what I'd done in the middle of class. Epiphanies should be saved for outside school hours, apparently.

"Oh, don't worry about her, Miss. Nessie's going through a break up right now, her emotions are probably-" Morgan began from the desk beside me, but she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. I turned to her desk and delivered a swift kick to the side of her chair. I would never forget the expression on her face as, arms flailing madly, the girl I hated most crashed to the floor.

Absolute silence filled the room as everyone's eyes turned to me. I gulped, turning to the front of the room to see Miss Waverbrook glaring at me.

"To the Principal's office, young lady!" she demanded, writing something down on a piece of paper, ripping it in half and passing it to me to take. I frowned as I gathered my books into my bag and went to her desk. And to think I'd always liked my English teacher…

"I expected better of you," she muttered, eyeing me sternly as I left the room. I sighed as I walked down the corridor to the Principal's office. I'd never gotten in trouble before, never having had a real reason to _do _anything to land me in hot water in the first place. Sure, Morgan had always ticked me off, but since when did I solve anything with violence?

_Since your family and Cameron left you_, that little voice in me piped up gently. I sighed and bit my lip to stop the unexpected tears from forming as I took my seat in the waiting room to see the Principal.

My family- gone.

Jacob- gone.

Now Cameron was gone, too.

I was truly alone.

***

After spending half an hour being chewed out by the balding, middle aged man that was the Principal at Lytton High, I left school on foot, not feeling like driving. My epiphany from earlier was long forgotten as I wandered out to the parking lot. I opened my car and dumped my books in the passenger side seat- I would come back for my car later that night when I wasn't so messed up in the head. It probably wasn't safe for me to be driving in such a state, anyway.

And that was how I found running aimlessly through trees, thinking things through, making foolish wishes that everything would be alright. It didn't feel like anything would ever be alright again.

I ran for hours, grass and foliage slowly giving way to dust and rocks, and then back again. The sun slithered lazily down the horizon until all that was left was a bright speck in the distance, barely noted as I sprinted through more trees. It wasn't until the trees started to thin again and the sounds of the waves crashing gently on a distant shore reached my ears that I slowed. I looked down and was dismayed to realise that my favourite pair of red Converse had been worn down until they'd ripped to shreds. My hard, vampire skin had protected my feet from most of the sharp rocks and other things I may have stood on, but they were slightly red and when I slowed down enough to notice, I could feel them throbbing slightly. I was also surprised when my stomach rumbled loudly, a sure sign that I'd been running longer than I realised. School had let out around three o'clock and a quick glance at my watch told me it was just passed ten.

I looked around me, contemplating if I was hungry enough to take down a deer or something and drink its blood. My stomach tightened happily at the prospect of food but the emptiness I still felt inside me prevented me from acting on my idea.

I grimaced as I looked up at the impossibly dark sky. I didn't really have any idea where I was, which direction I'd run in. I knew I'd easily be able to find my way back by following my scent, but something drew me forward, the way I'd been headed. When there were no more trees to hide my unnatural speed, I slowed down to a human jog and broke through the last of the trees. The moon hung brightly in the night sky and the darkness above was speckled with bright points of light.

Just looking up reminded me of when I was younger and my mother and father would take me places where the sky could be seen. Unobstructed and beautiful was the way it was meant to be. I could remember them each holding one of my hands and swinging me back and forth between them as they walked. Tears trickled down my cheeks and I sank slowly to the ground, the slightly damp sand crunching slightly underneath me.

"Where are you?" I whispered to no one but the wind. "Why did you leave me?"

I wasn't sure who I was talking to but I felt like I had to say it out loud. I didn't think I'd ever felt more alone. I sat watching the water for I don't know how long. The moon was barely visible that night, peeping out only occasionally from between the clouds to throw white light on the water. It wasn't until I heard a dog bark somewhere in the distance, breaking the solemn silence, that I got to my feet. I hadn't even realised how cold I was until I got to my feet and blood rushed back into them. I'd left my sweater with my books in my car and the thin cotton shirt I wore gave me no protection from the sharp coastal breeze.

I walked slowly along the water, parallel to the beach, taking deep breaths to calm myself. The most I could do was see if I could hold out until Friday night. If Cameron didn't come back, well…. I was going to Volterra. I couldn't stand not knowing anymore. I couldn't stand being apart from them any longer.

And then there was the other mind numbing possibility that Cameron might not come back at all. It made my heart twist just considering it. I'd come to rely so heavily on him over the past month and the idea of being away from him for any extended period of time was almost unbearable.

But deep down I knew what I felt for him went beyond using him as a sort of crutch, as a companion during a difficult time. It felt like nearly everything revolved around him now. And when he wasn't with me, time felt wasted. When- I refused to think the word 'if'- my family returned I wondered if he would stay. Would he at least visit me?

I honestly didn't know what he would want and the thought that maybe he wouldn't want to know me when he no longer felt he had an obligation to protect me was severely painful.

With that thought I turned and faced the wall of trees I'd emerged from earlier, picking a random gap between trunks to enter. The wind had mostly blown my scent away but with my sharp memory I could pick out trees and boulders that I recognized from the journey there. The sprint home took far less time than it had taken me to get to the coast- that said, it was till many hours before I reached Lytton. I reached my car at the otherwise empty school lot at around two o'clock in the morning.

I fished my keys out of my pocket and was just about to put them in the lock when suddenly my vampire senses kicked in. The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I felt goose bumps pepper my skin. I spun quickly, glaring at the bordering forest I'd parked near. There was someone there. The wind was billowing in the wrong direction so I couldn't smell a thing and the night was so dark even my preternatural sight couldn't help me. I stayed perfectly still for a long moment, reaching out with my only other sense to see if I could hear anything.

Whoever it was, they were being so quiet that I couldn't hear a thing over the leaves rustling gently in the wind. Not human.

"Cameron?" I whispered into the night, praying it was him.

No reply came.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, turning back to the car and planning on just getting the hell out of there. That second, a hand touched my shoulder lightly and I screamed in fright, literally jumping ten feet in the air. My vampiric reflexes kicked in and I managed to do some sort of flip in midair, landing myself on the other side of my car.

I looked up immediately, my eyes widening and my stance straightening up when I saw who it was.

Standing before me, was a vampire I hadn't seen in over seven years.

Alistair.

He looked the same as I remembered him, although my memory was far from perfect- I'd only been a few months old when I'd met him, and even then, he'd kept away from me as much as possible. Tall and imposing with almost freakishly white skin and red eyes that would give a child nightmares. He was one of the nomad vampires whom my grandfather had called for assistance from in our time of crisis with the Volturi. I remembered this vampire well because he was one of only a very small number that fled before the Volturi even arrived in Forks.

"Alistair?" I breathed, instinctively stepping backwards. Alistair had drunk human blood when I'd been a baby and from the red I could see in his eyes as he looked at me now, I could tell he still did.

"Renesmee… Still alive I see," he said and I didn't miss the slightly patronizing note to his voice.

"Yes," I replied. And then inspiration hit me. "Have you heard anything from Carlisle recently? Edward? Anyone in my family?" I begged, my eyes lighting up with hope as I wondered if maybe he'd heard something about their fate.

They had to be the reason he was here, didn't they?

"Ah, Carlisle… No, I'm afraid not, I'm merely passing through. Though…" he paused, his alabaster complexion freezing in place as he regarded me.

"Though?" I pressed when he didn't continue.

"Rumours. Mere rumours of an uprising against the Volturi." He paused and started walking at a leisurely pace in the direction I had just come from. He was leaving already? I mentally shrugged, indifferent unless he was going to help me with my family, which it seemed he wasn't.

" I _had _wished to visit Carlisle and confer with him in regards to it," he added unexpectedly. "However, I checked in at the two houses where the scent was strongest and found them empty," he said as he picked up his pace, crossing the parking lot swiftly now. "Well, mostly empty," he muttered and I barely heard the words.

My heart leapt and I couldn't contain my next words.

"Who was it Alistair?! Carlisle? Edward?! _Mom_?" I shrieked at him, definitely considering chasing after him but knowing he would only run. Stupid full vampires- so much faster than I.

As I half anticipated him to do, he didn't answer and his only way of reply was to speed up until he was nothing but a blur rapidly disappearing across the school parking lot. I didn't waste time, yanking the car door open, nearly off its hinges, and getting in. I didn't bother with a seat belt, knowing I wouldn't run into any humans- or cops- this early in the morning.

If even one member of my family had returned I was sure everything would be alright, they would help me find the rest. If it was Cameron… Unconsciously my foot pressed down harder on the accelerator.

Roughly seven minutes and eight seconds had passed by the time I reached the driveway. Not that I was counting or anything.

**Cameron POV**

I paced anxiously around the small cottage that had been my mother's when she was alive. Before I'd… I frowned unhappily and turned to the window. The clouds were a dark grey colour and barely discernable against the night sky.

Renesmee.

I missed her.

I'd left to try and think, to get away from her to see if I could find a way out of the problem I was trapping myself in. I was so stupid. All leaving had done was intensify whatever it was I felt for her. I was kidding myself if I thought that distance was helping anything. All I wanted was to run back to Lytton and find her and-

I stopped that thought path before it got me in trouble.

_And what?_ I asked myself scathingly.

None of the things that I wanted were possible.

I remembered the time I'd held her, the day she'd found out about Carolina. She'd felt so warm and soft and perfect. I clenched my eyes shut and tried to breathe normally again, just the memory enough to remind me how much I missed her. When I shut my eyes, all I could see was her face, her eyes alight with an endearing smile that never failed to warm my heart.

_Why don't you go to her?_ part of me urged, my legs practically walking themselves to the door. I stopped and leaned against it in a huff, pacing back to the only chair in the small room. I sat myself down in it and placed my head in my hands, wishing more than anything that she was there with me.

I couldn't go on like this anymore, couldn't pretend I felt nothing when everything inside me was screaming otherwise.

_You love her_, a voice inside me suggested and I sat up straight, rigid in my chair as I processed the thought.

No. It wasn't possible. I barely knew her.

_Time means nothing to the heart_- the vague quote filled my mind and I groaned.

No! I don't, I _can't_.

I certainly felt protective of her and wanted to be by her side most of- _all of_- the time but that didn't equate to… I couldn't even bring myself to think the word. I would taint it, ruin it. The way I ruined everything. Renesmee was so pure, innocent, an angel amongst demons. Demons like me. I was a traitor to my own kind, a half bred immortal with no place in the world. Granted, she was one of my kind also, but she had a family. She had everything and I had nothing. And I would inevitably be the one to reduce her to nothing.

The Volturi still waited for my call, a call I should have made weeks ago. She trusted me, that much was abundantly clear. If I'd suggested it, I knew she would've jumped at the chance to go to Italy to try to rescue her family- _and fail_, I added. There was no way she could defeat them and when I did eventually have to lead her to them, she would be ambushed. She stood no chance.

And _that _was why I hadn't made the call. I didn't want to allow that to happen to her. So, instead of returning secretly to Italy and trying to smuggle Carolina out myself, to try and get out of this before I became too attached, I'd stayed here and gotten more than I bargained for.

When Aro had told me about the girl I was to stay with and betray, he'd spoken detachedly, making it sound easy.

_Gain the girl's trust, bring her to Italy, escape with Carolina._

Everything had been simpler then. Everything had made sense. Nessie had been nothing more than a means to an end. But now… I couldn't deny she was so much more than that. I'd even told her so.

I stood from the chair and stalked out the front door, walking over to a rock perched by the shore. I delivered a frustrated kick in its direction and watched as it was propelled far out to sea. I glanced around me, glad no humans were around to have noticed what I'd just done. My foot throbbed slightly but I welcomed the pain, the distraction.

The cottage I stood by had always been my home. True- I'd stayed in many places throughout my life but this quiet dwelling would always be the place I would come back to. I remembered bringing Renesmee here, remembered how she'd smiled and seemed delighted by its charm. I'd grown up a lonely, confused child and the sight of it had never before failed to yield answers or to help me solve a problem. I'd thought that by coming here I could try and figure out what to do but so far I was worse off than I'd been when I arrived a few nights ago. It seemed that this place was no longer the sanctuary to my thoughts that it had been.

"What have you done to me?" I muttered, glaring at the darkening sky. Darkness had fallen and the thought of a third night alone made me shudder but I tried to press it back, unsuccessfully. I was going to have to triple my efforts to stay away from her.

It was only Thursday night but I didn't think I'd survive staying away for another second, let alone another full day.

The arrogant bastard inside me smirked as I started sprinting through the trees towards Lytton, towards the girl who changed everything.

***

"Renesmee," I called as I approached the two story house I had come to know as a home over the past month or so. No answer reached me and I walked towards the front door, my heart thumping erratically inside me as I contemplated her reaction. Would she be annoyed? Perhaps upset with me for leaving her?

The front door was locked so I made my way around the back of the house in the dark. I could see the window to her room was open and took a few steps back. It was obscenely late at night and she would most likely be asleep but there was no way I was going another minute without seeing her. I wouldn't wake her but I _needed _to see her. I did a small run up and leapt through the air and through the window in one smooth movement- not unlike how I'd entered her room that first night. Just like that time- her scent assaulted every inch of my being, causing me to freeze slightly in place. Only, this time, her sweet scent didn't bring to mind thoughts of killing her and draining her blood. This time, the only thing I could think of was how I longer to hold her, to be with her once more.

And that was when I snapped out of it and realised something I should have noticed immediately.

Renesmee's scent wasn't the only one here. Silently creeping back to the window where I'd first caught a whiff, I inhaled deeply and fought back a growl.

A vampire had been here.

I didn't recognise the smell so that meant that it wasn't one of the Volturi but a nomad perhaps? My thoughts immediately flew to Renesmee, wondering where she was and if the nomad had hurt her. My fists clenched as I considered that and I moved away from the window, breathing in once more. The scent was recent and I couldn't tell if the vampire was still nearby but my panic for Renesmee overshadowed any fear I had for myself.

Her room looked the same as usual, lived in and loved. I stealthily made my way out into the corridor and checked each of the rooms on the way passed to no avail. I reached the room that I had been staying in and was disappointed when it was empty, too. A quick sweep of the downstairs came up with nothing and by that point I was insanely panicked.

What if the vampire had taken her?

What if he was, even now, drinking her blood, draining her of life?

I shuddered at the thought and tore open the front door, jumping backwards when I came face to face with a ghostly white vampire.

He was reasonably tall and had skin of such a chalky pallor that he seemed to almost glow subtly. He didn't smile, nor did he frown, as he looked at me. I tensed, preparing for a fight I would likely lose, when he suddenly spoke.

"Cameron, I presume?"

I faltered briefly, not relaxing my stance a bit as I processed his words. I gathered from his voice that he was British and not born of this century. Crap- the older they were, the stronger they became.

And then there was the alarming fact that he knew my name.

"Who are you?" I demanded, barely managing to enunciate the words as they came out as a half growl.

"Calm. I do not wish to harm you. I am here to see the half-vampire Renesmee Cullen," he replied, glancing behind him in an almost paranoid looking manner. I gaped at him for a second before containing myself.

_He doesn't have her, so where is she?_

Of course, he could have been lying but something led me to believe him.

"She's not here. I don't know where she is," I hedged, watching him carefully to see if he reacted in a way that would prove him a liar.

"Carlisle will not be pleased. Well, I tried. Probably have my name on a list for the next century," the vampire muttered, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" I called, taking a few steps out the door.

"Yes?"

"Did Carlisle Cullen send you?" I asked.

"Yes, to check on his granddaughter. The Volturi rise again, I warn you child, be prepared," he said, his tone grave. I frowned as he continued to walk away, melting into the darkness, disappearing into the surrounding forest.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding and relaxed my pose slightly. The vampire hadn't seemed hostile but I was not one to let my guard down prematurely.

My earlier question pressed itself forth in my mind and I immediately stood up straight again, running my hand through my hair uneasily as I considered things. I had no idea where Renesmee was. I walked further out the front door and turned to the car port area and was unsurprised to find her car missing. The Lamborghini was still in place, still in the same spot I'd parked it a few days ago but the Volvo I knew she must have driven to school that day was gone.

I walked swiftly around the perimeter of the house, trying desperately to locate a trace of her unique scent. All that I could detect were faint paths through the woods to where I knew her extended family's house was. I shrugged to myself and started running through the trees, wondering if perhaps she'd gone there to lament the loss of her family.

The large house loomed into view quickly and I made my way around the back and into an orchard of sorts. There was a magnificent garden that stretched on for a fair distance and was walled in by a ten feet high hedge. Night blooming flowers blossomed around the peripheries and a tall, beautiful tree stood sentry in the exact center of the garden. I inhaled in wonder, admiring its beauty for all of a second before my thoughts returned to Renesmee.

I inhaled briefly, unable to pick her scent out. The faint trace I caught earlier must have been from another time. I made my way dejectedly back to Renesmee's house, having absolutely no idea how I was going to find her.

Just as I was considering tracking the tyre tracks, I heard an engine on the highway a mile or so away. A quick glance at my watch told me it was nearly three a.m., not many humans were awake. I stood in the fringe of forest to the side of the house, listening intently and standing perfectly still for a few seconds. I grinned broadly when the recognizable sound of the Volvo's engine purring reached my ears.

My heart leapt and I raced from my spot amongst the trees and raced to the front door. The seconds it took her to drive up the driveway passed painfully slowly which was surprising because she seemed to be speeding for some reason. She shocked me by not pulling into the car port area, instead screeching to a stop in front of the house. I was frozen to the spot as she practically jumped out of the car and raced towards the front door. Her body was so graceful and the sight of her nearly brought me to my knees. Oh _ God _how I'd missed her.

It took her a full second to notice me standing by the front door but when she did she skidded to a complete stop. I could see her face and watched her eyes widen as she looked at me. I felt frozen, unable to move as I waited for her reaction. I braced myself for anger, yelling, perhaps even a smile.

I wasn't prepared for her to sink to her knees or for the tears that started trickling down her face.

I still couldn't move but felt my breath leave me as I processed what had just happened. Had I upset her that much? Was she that unhappy to see me? I frowned and felt a piece of my heart spontaneously break off in disappointment.

A few long seconds passed before she seemed to collect herself and she rose shakily to her feet, the tears still shining on her rosy cheeks. Neither of us said anything, neither of us moved any closer to the other.

A few charged seconds passed between us until, like we'd both received some kind of signal, we both moved forward at the same time.

**Renesmee POV**

I looked up and saw Cameron standing there on the front stoop, looking exactly as he had a few days ago when I'd last seen him. He was back. He was here.

I was so happy I felt my legs give out underneath me but was surprised when I felt moisture creep forth from behind my eyelids. I blinked and the tears fell down my face as I absorbed him. Every bit of pain I'd been in, every ounce of unhappiness I'd felt like I was drowning in suddenly disappeared. He'd returned to save me from myself.

I got to my feet, embarrassed by my show of emotion, wondering what he would read into it and stared at him.

And then suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't care if he pushed me away but I needed to be closer to him. We both moved slowly closer to each other and I let a timid smile play on my lips, hoping he wouldn't be upset with me. His answering smile was blinding and I felt my legs carry me faster without my consent. Before I realised what was happening, I was practically running at him. I couldn't wipe the ecstatic smile off my face as I found myself face to face with him.

Without a word of explanation Cameron suddenly pulled me to him, crushing me against his chest as he wrapped his arms protectively around me. I gasped lightly, having not expected it but then smiled into his chest and wrapped my arms around him, too. He was holding me tightly, almost painfully, but I didn't care, so happy was I that he was back.

We stayed in our still embrace for a long time and I was dimly aware of my heart beating insanely in my chest. I hoped he couldn't hear it. And that's when I heard something odd. His heart was in overdrive, too. I could feel it beating furiously in his chest as my ear was practically pressed against it. I pushed the thought away for later examination and pressed myself closer to him, wanting to enjoy the moment.

Almost a full minute later his hold on me loosened slightly and I tried to hold back a frown. I didn't want him to let go, feeling an irrational stab of panic at the thought of not being able to touch him. It was almost as if I were afraid if I let go, he would run away again. I wasn't having that and I planned on telling him so.

"Hey," he murmured gently when he had pulled back far enough so we could see each other's faces. I couldn't help the smile that covered my face as I replied.

"Hey." It was such a simple exchange but it had my heart flying like nothing before had.

"How are you?" he asked after a moment, concern flitting across his features for a brief second.

"I'm fine. Yourself?" I returned, puzzled as to why we were keeping up this stranger-like façade but not wanting to be the one who ended it.

"I'm… fine," he said, smiling gently at me. I smiled back and the next words escaped my lips before my word-censor could stop them.

"I missed you," I whispered, looking down at where our hands were joined for some reason. I couldn't think how they'd gotten like that but felt an excited flutter when I realised they were- and he wasn't pulling away.

I light chuckle broke through my thoughts and I looked up quickly, feeling slightly dismayed that he was laughing at me. I felt embarrassment flood through me.

"Don't do it, Nessie. Don't be embarrassed. I missed you, too. So much," he told me, his free hand touching me lightly on the shoulder in reassurance. I glowed at his words but found it too late to stop the crimson spreading across my face.

A wordless moment passed between us, my eyes glued to his and his, to mine. The grey called to me and all my breath left me as I saw his eyes dart quickly to my mouth and then back to my eyes again. Not a sound could be heard in the forest as he slowly moved closer. My eyes fluttered closed and his hand that had been resting on my shoulder slid along to the nape of my neck. He gently tilted my face upward and my body trembled as I waited for him to make the next move.

I felt Cameron pause for a second and then there was the lightest pressure of his lips against my cheek. It was only brief, perhaps a second or contact, maybe two, but I felt like I would spontaneously combust.

_He'd kissed me! _

True, it had only been on the cheek, but nevertheless…

I couldn't quite look him in the eye as we pulled away from each other and I still had a slightly dazed smile on my face.

"Are you back to stay?" I asked, my voice coming out breathy and lower than it usually was.

"Yes," he replied, his voice equally as husky.

A brief silence settled over us where our eyes met once more, but then the moment was gone and we were both walking inside. It was nearing four a.m. and the sun would be rising soon, no doubt. I didn't think either of us planned to sleep but something unspoken passed between us and we each proceeded to our respective rooms.

I halted at my door, turning and seeing that he had done the same.

"Goodnight," I smiled ruefully, no doubt the mental exhaustion making itself known on my face.

"Goodnight," he said.

I turned to shut myself in my room to go and hyperventilate or something similar when his voice called me back.

"Renesmee?"

"Yes?" I answered, turning back to him with eyebrows raised in question.

Cameron took me in for a few seconds, his mouth half open to say something. He paused for a second and then shook his head to himself.

"It's nothing," he said, a sheepish smile that didn't quite match his eyes covering his face.

"See you," I replied, smiling at him no matter how confused I was.

I shut my door behind me and then simply stood with my back resting against it for a few seconds. I shut my eyes and inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times, trying to calm my still racing pulse.

I flopped myself onto my bed and crossed my arms under my head. The second I hit the mattress it hit me how exhausted I was- I'd been awake nearly a full 24 hours, plus the terrible night's sleep the night before- yet I knew without having to try that sleep would be unreachable to me.

Receiving a- albeit a chaste one- kiss from the guy you liked so much it made your head hurt was not something you could sleep after apparently.

Instead of sleep, I curled myself into a ball and simply thought, letting my mind wander and my memories overcome me.

Who needed dreams when reality felt better than my most incredible fantasies?

**I found this nifty button this week called 'Traffic' and it tells me this story has had over 1500 hits! **

**So to EVERYONE READING (yes YOU!) First of all… thanks! Second…. WTF? Third… don't suppose I could tempt you to press the little Review button could I?**

**Expect next chapter… I'm not making any promises but I will try for next week : ) After that is exam time for me…. Yay : | **

**Also… I'm considering shortening my chappie lengths…. They're all between 6000-8000 and THAT my children, is a hell of a lot of words. Twilight is only 125 000 so yeah, I think maybe I will try for 5000 per chapter from now on. Don't be disappointed, shorter chapters = more chapters = quicker updates : )**

**Epic A/N! Thanks for reading :D**

**REVIEW ?**


	11. Chapter 11

I know what you're thinking, holy FLYING TACOS it's been like, a couple of days since last update WTF? *face explosion*

I assure you, this is not a facial aneurysm on anyone's part- this truly is CHAPTER 11! 

Oh and… Got a little carried away with 'getting ready for the party' scene in this one… Bear with me, there may or may not be something important in there….

Warning: some slightly graphic content in this one. I will not call it lemon and you will see why….

See you down below… (not like that…. you sick fucker!)

-Chapter 11-

"So, what? They're back together again?"

"Looks like it… Damn, I was gonna' see if she was looking for a rebound fling."

I rolled my eyes at some of the idiotic comments being thrown around the corridors on Friday morning. Thankfully, most people seemed to have decided to drop it, having obviously realised the romantic affairs of Cameron and Renesmee weren't really that fascinating after all.

Talk of another subject was tainting everyone's lips anyway- the big party tonight. That, and the fact that it was Friday had everyone buzzing. It was almost tangible and in my relieved state of mind caused by Cameron's return, I found myself being swept along with it.

Neither of us had slept at all last night after his return- well, this morning technically- and were both walking around with dazed looks on our faces caused from exhaustion. To the humans, we probably looked stoned. I laughed at the thought, finding it ironic how that only reinforced the stoner image- laughing in the middle of the corridor for no apparent reason.

Cameron turned to face me, raising his eyebrows in my direction with an amused smirk on his lips.

"I was just thinking we probably look like we're high," I whispered conspiratorially to him as we exited Maths. He looked at me incredulously for a moment before bursting into hysterics beside me. His face set me off, too, and I joined him.

I was pleased things seemed to have returned to normal since his return; only a few hours later and it was like he'd never left. The two days of school without him had been unbearably lonely and now that he was back I felt myself slipping back into the now-familiar niche of contentment that I was unaccustomed to feeling in school.

It made me feel guilty to realise I enjoyed school more with Cameron than I did with my family but deep down I knew they would've understood. He was my species and my own age with a similar sense of humour to my own.

_And you _like _him_, my inner voice chirped at me, sounding like a petulant six year old.

_Nessie and Cameron sitting in a tree…_ I sighed, the children's rhyme making me long for the end of the sentence.

Ever since he'd kissed my cheek, practically all I could think about was him kissing me in other places. I wasn't one to have such perverted thoughts but I'd seen enough from my Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett to know there were definitely better places to be kissed than the cheek.

_Lips, neck, collarbone…. other places_, inner-hormone-crazy-Nessie listed and I was unsurprised when I felt the familiar warmth fill my cheeks.

The school day passed relatively quickly and although I was exhausted, I enjoyed my day immensely. That is, until the last bell rang and I approached my locker.

Sasha stood against it, smirking at me with a mischievous fire alight in her eyes.

Crap.

I'd forgotten I'd agreed to go to her place to get ready for the party that night. I hadn't really felt like going to the party at all and when I'd suggested to Cameron we stay home and watch a movie or something instead, he'd surprised me by saying he wanted to go. I'd shrugged it off at the time but when I saw Sasha's face, I knew she'd gotten to him.

Probably threatened him.

I sighed as I approached Sasha and she grinned wickedly at me, dangling her car keys in front of my face.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Sasha…." I began but she cut me off.

"Shh! No backing out now. Do you have an outfit?" she demanded as I put the last of my books away and shut my locker door. I saw an escape option and pounced on it.

"No! Oh damn, guess I can't go anymore. Bye Sash-" once again I was cut off.

"Oh no you don't! Your birthday's coming up isn't it?" she asked randomly. I nodded cautiously, narrowing my eyes when her face turned victorious.

"Great! Cause' I bought you the _cutest _outfit to wear tonight and it can count as your present!" she giggled and started marching toward the parking lot. I trailed after her with my mouth hanging open like an idiot, astounded.

We passed Cameron on the way to Sasha's beat up Mazda and he smirked down at me. I growled at him in a tone that would be inaudible to humans and tossed my car keys in his general direction. He caught them- the bastard- and waved jovially at me.

"See you tonight!" he called as Sasha clicked her little button and her small car beeped in response.

I lifted my middle finger at him over my shoulder as I jumped into the car and the last thing I heard from him before I slammed the door was his resounding laughter from across the lot. I couldn't help the giggle that escape me as Sasha started the car and she looked at me quizzically, seeming pleased I was warming up to the idea of being beautified by her. I frowned and then turned to look out the window.

It was a ten minute drive to Sasha's apartment block and we passed the drive by chatting aimlessly about school. Her room was on the top floor and as far as I knew she lived with her just her and her mom. I'd been there a few times before and we found our way easily up the elevator and into their unit.

Her mom wasn't home from work yet so we dropped our bags in the entryway and then made our way to the kitchen for a snack before Sasha set about 'Project Fix Nessie' as she had so aptly named it. She was on some kind of diet and ate only celery sticks with some kind of obscure orange dip whilst I helped myself to a piece of lemon cheesecake in the refrigerator.

After our quick break, Sasha directed me to her fair sized bedroom. It wasn't as large as mine was but it had a simply enormous bathroom to make up for it, likely the reason Sasha was content with it.

"Okay, the party doesn't start until nine o'clock so we have approximately…" I waited patiently for her to figure out the basic maths, "Five hours to make ourselves _stunning_!"

I smiled agreeably and waved my hands in front of me.

"You've got me here, now… do what you will," I laughed and sank down onto her bed while she went into the bathroom. She came out with a large basket of general beauty 'stuff' that I couldn't name if I tried.

"Go take a shower while I get all this stuff ready. I still have that spare shampoo and conditioner that you left here last time in the cupboard and there's a towel on the counter," she instructed. I nodded, slipping my shoes off by her bed and entering the bathroom. Once the door was shut behind me, I stripped and then dug through the cupboard for my familiar hair products. I'd left them behind the last time I was here accidentally and had never bothered to come and pick them up after Sasha insisted she would keep them for me. I found them behind a pile of sponges and placed them in the bottom of the shower alcove. I turned the faucet on and jumped under the steaming spray. With the sleep deprivation I was suffering, the hot water felt amazing against my tired body and I slumped against the shower wall, prepared to stay there until the hot water ran out. Or Sasha dragged me out by the hair. Whichever came first. I washed my hair with my familiar smelling shampoo, trying desperately not to fall asleep standing up. Horses could do that but I didn't think that it was a good idea for humans- or vampires for that matter- to attempt it.

I got out of the shower after Sasha started banging on the door and wrapped myself in the fluffy white towel provided. It was so warm and soft and felt how I imagined it would feel to be hugged by a carpet.

I groaned and called out to Sasha who was still in the other room. "Changed my mind, I think I might just fall asleep on a pile of your towels."

I could almost hear her grinding her teeth through the door and laughed, pulling the towel around me tying it in a knot to stop it from falling down. I then turned to the mirror and borrowed one of Sasha's brushes to gently comb out my damp hair. When I was satisfied it was straight, well as straight as it would get before Sasha attacked it with the straightener, I pushed open the door to the bedroom and saw Sasha sitting in front of her vanity. Her expression was impatient and I gathered that I had taken too long in the bathroom. I smiled and settled myself down on the chair, preparing for the assault.

"Now, I'm going to work on you first and then while you get dressed and do our nails I'm going to fix myself up," she announced solemnly, daring me to object. I didn't have a death wish so I simply nodded and let her start up the hair dryer. The way she held it made it seem like a gun and I couldn't help but giggle. She smiled back at me as she started up the device and directed the jets of hot air at my long hair.

It was a long time before she was done with my hair- an hour, maybe more. The end result was wonderful, transforming my wavy cascading hair into a sheet of bronze silk.

"What do you think?" Sasha asked as she twisted the straightener, curling parts of my hair inward to frame my face.

"You did good, Sash, real good. Thank you," I smiled genuinely up at her. Because, at the bottom of it all, I truly was thankful for a friend like her.

"No problem," she smiled. "Now, makeup!" she squealed, running over to her bed to retrieve everything she had obviously set aside especially.

Thankfully, she had decided that I was to take the 'subtle sexy' approach in the makeup department that night and she didn't overdo it. It actually wasn't too much worse than what I would have applied, had I been allowed to dress myself- just mascara, eyeliner and shadow. I was actually quite pleased with the general effect until Sasha pulled out a traffic light red lipstick and liner.

"What?!" I cried.

"Shhh, you were being so good, don't ruin it," she murmured, her lip twitching as she tried to put it on my face.

"No Sasha! Too much!" I stated, crossing my arms firmly over my chest and fixing her with a determined scowl. She huffed, seeming to realise I wasn't budging on this one thing. She dug around in a small black bag for a few seconds then produced a light pink colour. I nodded reluctantly and she smiled in victory as she applied it to my now-sullen face. I sat there and sulked while she made her finishing touches to my face.

"Beautiful," she chirped, pointing me to a mirror. I couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped me when I took in my face. I looked like me, yet different. Everything was enhanced, bold and… beautiful.

"Thank you," I whispered to Sasha, my eyes sparkling.

"You look fabulous, if I say so myself," she smiled smugly and I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, though, you're glowing. Totally jealous here!" she laughed.

"Glowing?" I repeated after her, unsure what she meant.

"Yeah. I've seen it many times- love."

She turned and started fussing with some of her supplies leaving me staring, open mouthed at my reflection.

_Love?_

It didn't make sense in my head so I had to say it out loud.

"Love?" I whispered.

"Sure, I can tell. You two are gone on each other, it's obvious from the way he looks at you. And you always get that dopey look on your face whenever he's around," she replied, not looking up from her work, unaware of the effect her words were having on me.

I continued to sit, gaping at myself in the mirror as her words sunk in.

Love?

Cameron?

Me?

_What?_

It didn't make sense. I didn't _love _him… did I?

Sasha decided that right then it was time to discuss the latest boy she was stringing along and I tried to forget her earlier words, trying to focus on what she was saying now. I didn't need her confusing me further. I had no idea how I felt about Cameron and her dropping the 'L' word on me did absolutely nothing but befuddle my already confused perception of what I thought we were.

I managed to mostly forget what she'd said and was surprised when I managed to engage her in conversation about the latest gossip at school. I was _so _pleased she'd moved on from her crush on my dad. That had been… just plain nauseating. We chatted while she did her own hair and I did both of our finger and toe nails. She may have had the artist's eye but I had the vampire's precision when it came to painting with polish.

It wasn't until we only had an hour left before the party that she seemed to break out of the happy trance she'd been in and looked at me in alarm.

"We'd better get dressed. Oooh I can't wait to show you your outfit," she practically screamed and I sat back on her bed as she dived into her enormous walk in wardrobe to find what I was to wear tonight.

She came out a few seconds later holding the _tightest _lookingpair of dark denim skinny jeans I'd ever seen. Before I could voice my protests she was retreating back into the closet, presumably to retrieve my shirt.

I grimaced at the jeans I was expected to fit into while she was gone and gulped, wondering how the hell I was supposed to wear them and still be expected to breathe.

"Tada!" she announced, whirling around to reveal my shirt for the night with a flourish. Any and all anger I'd held towards the jeans dissipated immediately and was redirected at the shirt as I took in what she had picked out for me.

On the hanger, there was probably enough material for a dishrag. A small dishrag.

The scrap of clothing that only vaguely resembled a shirt was black and quite obviously made to show some midriff and a lot of cleavage. There was a simple silver, red and white swirl pattern creeping from the sides of shirt that, on anything else, would have looked quite pretty.

"I'm not wearing that," I said straight away, making my remark before she could start the puppy dog eyes on me.

"Oh, but you _are_," she replied, staring me down. "I haven't gone and done all that work on you for nothing. You're wearing the outfit, you're going to the party. End of story," she declared.

"I'll wear the jeans but no way in hell can I be seen in public wearing _that_," I shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at the top she still held.

"No dice, Nessie. What are you gonna' do, wear that towel? You don't have another shirt to wear," she said.

I turned to the bathroom, stalking inside and searching on the ground for the shirt I wore to school. It was nowhere to be seen.

"I already hid your other clothes. Don't worry you'll get them back after tonight," she called evilly from back in the bedroom and I suppressed a growl.

"Fine!" I shouted, stalking past her, taking the jeans and shirt off her and entering the wardrobe. I shut the sliding door behind me and turned to face the wall mirror. I huffed and dropped the towel, then remembered I didn't have any underwear. I slid the door open slightly and peeped my head out, about to demand them back when she smiled at me.

"Check the bag hanging on the door handle," she suggested with a wink.

I grimaced and shut the door, glaring at the little black shopping bag. I stuck my hand in and pulled out a black, lacy push-up bra with matching panties.

"Godamnit," I growled, quickly pulling them on and facing myself in the mirror, knowing full well if I didn't she would leave me locked naked in a closet all night. I then attempted to put on the jeans, surprised when they slid on more easily than I'd expected. They were firm fitting but not as difficult to move around in than I had anticipated.

"Alright, here we go," I muttered to the next piece of offensive clothing. I pulled it over my head and adjusted it before I looked at myself in the mirror.

Ugh.

It was as bad as I thought it would be, if not worse. It covered all the vital places but hinted aggressively at the top of my cleavage. There was a few inches of my midriff showing but I found that it wasn't too much. And it was tight. I adjusted the short, slightly off-shoulder sleeves and shoved the door roughly out of my way, about to go and strangle Sasha.

"Oh my God… _So _lesbian right now," she laughed from where she was in the middle of putting on mascara.

"I look like- like… I look like a _hooker_!" I whispered the last word, embarrassed to be thinking it. Sasha burst into laughter and then cocked her head to the side to survey me.

"No, you look slutty. But just the right amount. Not 'I'm trying too hard' slutty. Innocent yet sexy," she assured me. I let out my breath slightly. Sasha knew her various levels of slutty and I didn't think she would lie to me. I squared my shoulders and sank to her bed.

"Here's your shoes," she said, throwing a box at me from the other side of the room.

I took a stab at what was inside and almost smiled when I guessed right.

Black Stilettos.

I quickly pulled them on, grateful that I at least knew how to walk in them without doing a face plant the way a lot of human girls were prone to doing.

With only ten minutes left before we had to leave, I turned to take in Sasha's appearance. I was irritated to find her dress was far more modest than my outfit. It was yellow and low cut but didn't scream the same message mine did.

"Oh, here, I almost forgot this," Sasha said, foraging through a shopping bag in the corner of her room. She pulled out a black leather jacket and passed it to me and I found myself grinning. At least it would cover me up partly. I pulled it on and admired the effect in the mirror. I looked… I couldn't quite find the word and was surprised when my friend spoke up from behind me.

"Sexy. Just like I told you," she supplied and I laughed to myself, then smiled at her.

We took a few minutes to clean up our mess somewhat and after a final make up check, Sasha and I exited the bedroom. Her mom was sitting in the living room watching a chick flick but she looked up when we passed through the room. I saw her eyes widen at our appearance but then she just shook her head indulgently and grinned.

"Go get em' girls," she laughed.

"Thanks mom. See you later, love you!" Sasha called as we made our way to the front door.

Sasha's mom's words reminded me of my own mother and I wished suddenly that she was there. I wondered what she would say of my outfit. I knew my dad would tell me to take it off and go put proper clothes on suitable for a 'young lady'. I laughed then sighed sadly.

The ride to the party was quick as Gary Toddson lived in nearly the same part of town as Sasha did. His house bordered on a large and imposing forest where already a bunch of cars were parked nearby. My eyes scanned for either of my cars and I was unsurprised when I spotted the black Lamborghini parked slightly apart from the others.

Cameron was already here.

I smiled as Sasha locked the car and we headed towards the house.

**Cameron POV**

I laughed uncomfortably as the girl in front of me offered me another sip of her drink.

"No thanks, I think I'm good," I replied, holding up my own bottle. It was full of some kind of beer that I found didn't actually taste too bad. I very, very rarely drank but when I did it had always been cheap human beer. This stuff tasted better but didn't affect me at all. Alcohol rarely could touch my consciousness, the vampirism obviously numbing most of the affects.

I'd only been at the party for about ten minutes but already there were drunk people running around everywhere. I gathered that a large number had just come from another party or else gotten wasted at home before coming here. I shook my head at the idiocy and turned to go and find somewhere to sit while I waited for Renesmee, when suddenly I bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized, stepping backwards to avoid running into her again. I turned to leave and then did a double take.

"Nessie?" I said, turning back to the girl I'd just run into. It _was _her but she looked… different.

I needed to go and shake Sasha's hand.

When she'd cornered me earlier that day to ask if I could help her make Nessie go, I had agreed only a little reluctantly. I was so glad I had.

Renesmee's long legs were accentuated with the tightest pair of jeans in existence and she was wearing an extremely tight fitting shirt, too. A portion of her perfectly flat stomach was showing but my gaze was immediately drawn to her chest. _Holy shit_, I swore in my head. I looked her up and down- perhaps rudely, but I couldn't find it in myself to care at the time- for a few heated seconds before I managed to look her in the eye.

"Hey," Renesmee said, looking a little embarrassed. I nearly slapped myself.

_What the fuck?_ _How dare you perv on her, you prick_, I mentally chastised myself.

I opened my mouth to return her greeting but I was still slightly dazed and all that came out of my mouth was, "I-uh.. yeah- you look… uh. Hey."

She laughed at me and I grinned sheepishly, glad to see she wasn't upset with me as she rightly should have been.

"So… are you enjoying the party?" she asked, her eyes glinting with excitement.

"You could say that," I smiled and raised my bottle to her.

"What are you drinking?" she asked, a look of almost shock crossing her face.

"I think it's beer of some sort. Tastes alright," I said. An idea entered my mind and I found myself voicing it before I fully thought it through. "Want a sip?" I said, offering her the bottle. She smiled and took it from me, raising it to her lips and taking a sip. She didn't take her eyes off me as she drank and I didn't find myself looking away from her, either. There was something extremely hot about the way she lowered her eyes then and I found myself staring at her lips the way I had last night.

I'd almost kissed her then, had been so, _so_ close, too, but then I'd remembered at the last second why I couldn't.

As she gave me back the bottle I found the urge rising in me again, my hand already half way to pulling her face to mine before I realised what I was doing. She looked at me quizzically and I quickly directed my hand's path to the mantel behind her and offered her a bowl of potato chips instead.

_Smooth, Cameron, real smooth_. I mentally rolled my eyes at myself.

"Tastes good," she smiled at the beer and took a chip from the bowl.

For the next hour or so we just meandered around the edges of the party, talking to people we knew from school and we both drank some more beer. I felt moderately charged but not nearly enough to even declare myself tipsy. I had no intention of getting drunk, finding no point in it, but didn't object when the same random girl from earlier offered me some kind of vodka mix drink. I took a swig and grimaced. Chick drink.

The only damper on things was when guys asked Nessie to dance. That pissed me off. I wasn't her real boyfriend but seriously? What was wrong with these people? But each and every time she said no I felt myself smirk and always had to hide it before she saw.

Why was I getting possessive of her all of a sudden?

Of course, girls made their way over to me, draping themselves over me and trying to coerce me into dancing with them. Each time I smiled politely and backed away, feeling a desire to dance with only one person there. And I couldn't. I didn't know if Renesmee would even want to dance with me. She would probably feel uncomfortable. A few times after she would reject a guy I was sure I saw her eyes flit to me, something strange in them, but by the time I got to examining her face closely enough, they were back to normal.

About two hours into the party, things started getting a lot more heated, the dancing becoming more of a contest as to how much skin people could show before they left to find someplace more quiet with a stranger. There were a number of couples taking off and finding bedrooms to go and fornicate in. I nearly laughed every time I saw them, wondering what the morning after would be like for them.

I was glad that when Kyle showed up he kept to the other side of the room to us. I didn't want him anywhere near Nessie after what he'd said to her the other day and feared that if he approached her I would probably end up hitting him, if not killing him.

At some point in the night, Sasha came over to us. Part of me wanted to thank her for dressing Nessie like that but the other half was slightly annoyed that she'd put Nessie in that position, embarrassed her like that.

"Hey you guys!" Sasha shrieked happily, obviously well past tipsy and on her way to drunk.

"Sasha, how much have you had to drink?" Nessie asked, quirking an amused eyebrow in her friend's direction. Sasha took a moment to think, and then shrugged obliviously. I chuckled, amused.

"This music's _wicked awesome_! Why aren't more people dancing?" she cried, looking around her in an almost panicked manner.

"I don't know Sasha. Why don't you go dance?" Nessie suggested with a smile, obviously as amused by her friend's antics as I was.

"Ooh! Why aren't you two dancing? Go, go, go!" she ordered, pushing the both of us into the center of the room.

After recovering our balance quickly, we both stilled and looked at each other, expressions cautious. And then a hard shove sent Nessie flying into me and I caught her, looking quizzically over her head at Sasha. She grinned wickedly and then ran over to the side of the room. I looked down and realised I was still holding Renesmee against me, most likely against her will. I helped Renesmee stand upright and, of course, she was blushing furiously.

"Sorry," she mumbled, about to move back to the side of the room where we had been standing earlier. I felt something strange surge through me and reached out to grab her hand, pulling her back to me.

"Dance with me," I said simply. To my relief she nodded and a smile slowly spread across her face.

Just then the music changed to a slow number and I looked over in surprise at the music player, seeing a devious Sasha standing proudly next to it. She had changed the song to a slower one, obviously in an attempt to make Nessie and I dance together to it. A very few people protested the tempo change but a large number of couples that had stuck to the fringes of the dance floor overshadowed the complaints by stepping onto the dance floor and wrapping themselves around their partners.

I shrugged and pretended it was no big deal when really my heart was thumping away in anticipation of holding her again so soon. She didn't stop me when I pulled her close to me and put my hands hesitantly on her waist. She seemed to catch on then and, just as hesitantly, she put her arms around my neck. I smiled down at her without thinking and, together, we started to move to the music.

The dance floor was rapidly filling with people who had obviously been waiting for a slow song so they didn't have to move too much and we quickly found ourselves pressed tightly together.

I wasn't complaining.

We didn't talk while we danced, nor did we look at each other much. Every time I would catch her eye, she would blush and then look down. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as we twirled slowly amidst the sea of bodies. Again, I had that sensation of rightness wash over me, as though this was the way things were meant to be.

The song ended after a few short minutes and whilst I wasn't quite ready to let her go, I sensed it would be pushing it to hang onto her once the song was over. We retreated back to our side of the room.

"I'm just gonna' go get a drink," she mumbled, keeping her eyes away from my face as she backed towards the room I knew the kitchen was in.

"Kay," I smiled and turned to find my own drink.

Once again, that same girl was there, offering me alcohol. I politely shook my head, wondering what the hell was wrong with her when suddenly she burst into tears. I looked around, panicked, as she started wailing incomprehensible words. She stopped after a full minute and expected some kind of answer from me.

"What?" I asked, extremely puzzled as to what she wanted from me.

Without another word she took my hand and started pulling me away. I could easily have broken out of her grasp but she looked extremely drunk and, as exasperating as she was, I didn't want her to hurt herself or anyone else whilst so incapacitated. She pulled me into a deserted room, the den I guessed, and forced me over into a corner.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She didn't answer with words, instead, throwing herself towards me and attempted to kiss my neck. I froze immediately, unsure what to do. Girls had come onto me before but never had one so _literally _thrown herself at me. A few seconds passed while I stood frozen, completely unsure what to do. I quickly decided that doing nothing would only encourage her and realised that I needed to act quickly before I got caught up. I wanted Nessie and I'd repeatedly denied myself so much that my body was cheering loudly at the physical contact, even if it wasn't from the girl I wanted.

I grasped the girl's head between my hands and pulled her back away from. She still looked desperate and drunk and I sighed wearily, wondering what to do next.

I heard someone walk into the room but didn't have time to look up before they left again, probably deciding that this was going to go a lot further and be something they didn't want to witness. And it just might, if I didn't get this girl off me quickly.

I ended up pushing the girl completely off me and then sitting her down on a nearby chair. I told her to stay there while I went to fetch her some water so she could sober up a bit. I went through the dining room to get to the kitchen and quickly located an empty glass, filling it with water. As it was filling I heard a group of girls clustered nearby talking and my ears pricked up as I heard Renesmee's name.

"She just drank it all down, an entire screwdriver at once! I never thought she had it in her," one of them laughed admiringly.

I felt slightly stunned that Nessie had done that but shrugged it off. I took the water back to the girl in the room and made her sit there while she drank it. She promptly fell asleep and I held back laughter. I found a pillow from a nearby cupboard and threw a throw rug over her.

"Sleep well you crazy, drunk human," I muttered as I took a seat. The party was getting a bit crazy and I decided to take a quick respite in the den to calm myself back down again.

**Renesmee POV**

I blushed as I backed away from Cameron, telling him I was going to get a drink when really all I wanted was a few minutes to collect myself. Dancing with him had been… amazing. It had felt so natural, so perfect, I hadn't wanted to let go but he hadn't seemed to want to dance anymore.

I made my way to the kitchen to grab a drink of whatever was going but then a girl I was friends with, Linda, walked forward and started talking to me.

"Hey, I was just about to make some screwdrivers! You want one?" she offered, gushing loudly in her drunken state. I giggled and nodded.

Just then a group of girls walked past me, chattering inanely to themselves.

"So Nadia was all, _whatever_, but then I was like, no way seriously! She grabbed him right after he finished dancing with that Nessie chick," one of them laughed. I frowned, puzzled. Why were they talking about Cameron?

"She's in the den, like, right now! I bet she gets his pants off," one of the others giggled. I froze, understanding dawning on me.

One of their friends was trying to seduce him right about now. I fought back a growl and turned to Linda who was still making my drink.

"I'll be right back, just put my drink on the bench," I told her, walking away to find Cameron. Of course he would push the girl away. I was just going to see if he needed reinforcements. Well, that was what I told myself, anyway.

I quickly found and entered the room I'd been told was the den. A few armchairs and one long sofa littered the room but my gaze was immediately drawn to the far wall.

Cameron was standing with his back against the wall and a girl with dark hair was pressed flush against him, her arms around him. As I watched, he pulled her head back and looked into her eyes. He was going to kiss her.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut as I gulped silently and turned on my heel, leaving the room as fast as I could in human guise. There was no way I could witness that.

My brain felt like it was slurry as I pieced it together, my legs carrying me mindlessly down the corridor.

Cameron and a girl.

What were they doing? Who was she?

Why was he kissing her?

I felt sick to my stomach, the image of him and another girl spinning around in my head and pressing on my consciousness. I hadn't recognized the girl and he hadn't seemed like he had either when she offered him a drink earlier. This was the first time they'd met. He was letting a girl he barely knew drape herself all over him. He was _kissing _said girl.

I felt a few tears sting in my eyes as I entered the joint kitchen and living area and I tried desperately to forget.

_You're not really together_, I tried to remind myself.

It didn't matter to me, though. I hadn't exactly told him what I felt- hell, I didn't even really know myself- but I'd thought it was an unspoken thing.

I'd thought we had something.

He obviously didn't feel the same way.

Trying to forget, I returned to my glass on the kitchen counter top where Linda had obviously left if for me, picking it up determinedly in my hand.

_To forgetting things we wished we didn't see_, I toasted myself bitterly in my head as I raised the glass to my lips.

I tipped my head back and downed my drink in one, not letting the bitter taste of the alcohol make me cringe. A few people nearby applauded and I smiled as I discarded the paper cup into the trash. I looked at the bottles sitting on the counter near the cup I'd just grabbed and saw that what I'd just drank was vodka and orange juice. I vaguely remembered Linda calling it a 'screwdriver'. It was bubblier than I'd thought it would be, considering neither vodka or orange juice were carbonated, but I shrugged it off, enjoying the feeling of recklessness and its helpful memory impeding effects too much to really focus.

Already, I could feel the slightly intoxicating presence of the stronger alcohol in my system, giving me a slightly buzzed feel. My vampire side made me somewhat immune to the effects but it was still enough that I could feel it coursing through my body. I talked with a random group of people, my mind moderately hazy and a slightly electric feeling coursing through me. I determinedly didn't bring up Cameron once, changing the subject of the conversation swiftly when he was brought up. I laughed more than I usually did and my reactions were more delayed than I'd thought possible for someone of my species but I just laughed it off.

I carried on in that strange way for about ten minutes before I abruptly clutched my stomach. The Toddson's living room swirled before my eyes and I felt nausea overcome me. At least it's what I thought nausea felt like, having never experienced it before. My stomach tightened and I felt the urge to gag for some reason. Yep, definitely nausea.

As I fought with a strange dizziness that was surrounding me, the music suddenly started to seem too loud. The walls tilted and people's faces blurred. I blinked hard twice, and, murmuring excuses about fresh air to the people I was talking with, I retreated out onto the back porch to get a little peace and quiet.

_You idiot, you shouldn't have drunk that_, I told myself as I slouched over the railing a little, letting the pure air wash over me and lessen the nausea some. I waited out there alone for a few minutes, trying to calm my stomach and clouded head, until someone opened the door and joined me on the porch. I looked up through foggy eyes and saw Kyle grinning down at me.

"Hey, Renesmee. How are you feeling?" he asked, a strange smile on his face.

"A little woozy," I replied honestly, in my poor state forgetting that I hated him.

"That's good to hear," he laughed and I didn't miss how he stepped closer to me.

"Good?" I repeated, my head spinning too much for me to really make sense of it. I got the feeling that I should be worried for some reason and my mouth went dry for some reason when I noticed a few of his friends appear in the doorway to the house.

"I think it's about time you loosened up a little, that's all," he replied, smirking when he noticed me start to panic. I stood up, trying to right the dizziness that overcame me when I did, and moved to step around Kyle. He stepped with me and I felt my feeling of dread pick up in intensity.

"I'd like to go inside now," I managed to speak steadily but I could feel my control slipping. Kyle shook his head and his friends moved outside and shut the door behind him. The sound of the blaring music was immediately muffled and I glanced at the group of guys in alarm. In an ordinary situation, I knew I could take any and all of them in a fight but with my movements and mind processes slowed down I suddenly wasn't so sure. I backed up against the railing and briefly considered my chances of running. There was six of them and only one of me. I knew that, for humans, they were all exceptionally fast from playing football. _But you can't just stay here, _I reminded myself. I tried to step quickly to the side past them, towards the porch stairs, but my movement was sluggish and they were able to pace my clumsy stride.

I quickly ruled out running.

I stood there trying to organise my thoughts while they smiled darkly at me, most specifically trying to think of how the hell I was supposed to get myself out of this situation. I wished fervently that someone would open that door. No one did and found myself feeling actual _fear _from these humans. More than anything, I wished Cameron would open the door. It didn't matter that he'd hurt me, that he was probably making out with that girl in another room right now.

None of it mattered anymore. I just wanted him there. I didn't know what they planned to do to me but a small voice in the back of my head whispered things to me that made my stomach roll with disgust and outright terror.

The human part of me reflexively opened my mouth to prepare a scream but Kyle stepped forward and clapped his hand across my mouth while one of his friends moved behind me and pulled my arms behind my back, pinning them between his body and me.

"Don't scream right now, save your breath. You'll be doing a lot of screaming before tonight is over," the one pinning my arms promised darkly in my ear. I squirmed and tried to pull away from the two men, hating how vulnerable I was in that second. I wasn't used to being overpowered by humans, it wasn't natural for me. Even with the alcohol, I realised, I should've been able to control my reactions and movements better.

And that's when it clicked. The extra bubbles and fizz in my drink… I'd left my drink alone for a few minutes when I'd seen Cameron. Was it possible they'd slipped something in my cup? I could feel my muscles giving out, a sedative feeling creeping through my body… My mind briefly ran through everything I knew about drink spiking. The drugs I'd heard about from one of the many safety seminars at school all played the same cannon- fast acting sedatives that rendered the victim unconscious about fifteen minutes after ingestion.

Yes, it was possible they'd spiked my drink. _Screw possible_! my subconscious screamed at me. _They've drugged you. What the hell are you going to do now?_ I asked myself. My fifteen minutes were almost up but I chanced a guess that because of my vampiric body, I could probably fight the unconsciousness for a few minutes more than a human. I felt anger towards them that I desperately wanted to unleash in the form of violence but I couldn't control my body, it refused to obey me. My knees folded and my mind swam in a sea of murky thoughts that refused to cohere themselves.

Distantly, as though it was happening to someone else, I felt one of the other guys come forward to take the other side of my body. They put their hands on me and picked my limp form up, walking down off the porch and half dragging, half carrying me towards the forest that bordered the Toddson's yard. I fought groggily, screaming against the hand that was over my mouth. I sounded weak to even my ears. I couldn't process much but my sluggish bran was retaining enough power to tell me I had to find a way out of the situation before it was too late.

I summoned up all the concentration and strength I could and tried to break my arms out of their grip. I failed dismally and the one holding my arms gripped them tighter in response. Panic ripped through me like fire does dried grass- all consuming, terrifying, inescapable.

I drifted vaguely in and out for about a minute, the noises and sights blurring together. My head lolled against one of their arms and I moaned in pain as my stomach lurched uncomfortably. They all laughed and someone's derisive voice reached my ears but I couldn't make out the words.

After we hit the dense cover of the trees, they dragged me through the forest faster, laughing and joking about what they were going to do to me.

"You think she's a virgin?"

"Not for much longer." They laughed uproariously at that, confirming my worst fear. The one who was still holding my arms brought his lips to my neck and whispered profanities in my ear. I shuddered and tried to pull away from him. Aunt Rosalie had told me her story, her terrible tale. Men had done terrible things to her and she'd made me promise her I would never let anyone do that to me. I didn't want to fail her- or myself- but I couldn't fight.

I couldn't escape.

"So, who gets to pop her cherry?" one of the group asked.

"I think I should get to do the honours. After all, this was my idea," a voice volunteered. Through all the confusion I could recognize it and the hatred and fear inside me grew impossibly further. Kyle…

There were a few noises of protest from the others in the group but Kyle spoke over them.

"Don't worry, you'll all get your turns. I want her first, though," he exclaimed loudly, his voice excited. I very nearly passed out at that moment. _You'll all get your turns…_

Tears sprang up in my eyes and dripped down my face and a defeated broken sob sounded from deep within my chest.

"Please, don't," I begged in a subdued voice and my words came out like mush. They laughed again and seemed to reach the spot they'd been looking for. It was a small clearing and I could see a Jeep parked off to one side with a blanket spread across the open back. One of them pushed me roughly forward and my legs in their weakened state, fell out from under me, causing yet more laughter as I fell to the damp forest floor. Weakly, I tried to push myself up from the ground, but I failed dismally and felt my consciousness leaking out of me as my muscles shut down.

All my life, I'd thought myself practically invincible- I was a supernatural with a powerful, protective family. How could this be happening to me? All my life I'd laughed and shrugged off reassurance and protection.

Back in the deserted clearing with six men who planned to do terrible things to me, I suddenly wished for someone to make it better, make the pain and fear go away. _Somebody, help me_, I thought uselessly to myself.

Wait- my thoughts weren't useless, I realised suddenly as I gasped for breath. I gathered up every ounce of concentration I possessed and projected my thoughts towards the one person I knew could help me. I didn't even finish the thought, my body and mind giving out altogether before I say anything but the one sentence.

_Cameron, help me…_

**CLIIIIIIIF HANGERRRRR!!!! Dayem… guess you people will just have to review to get chapter 12…. Blackmail is such an ugly word….**

**On a serious note: Drink spiking is no laughing matter. It's a very real and dangerous thing, and though I personally have not been a victim to it, thousands of women have been and it is a very serious matter. So to all you ladies reading this- WATCH YOUR DRINKS! And keep an eye out for your friends when you're out clubbing. *end serious note***

**Slow song they dance to in my mind is 'I Fall by Fatis Valour'. Little known band, I actually know the lead singer. Check them out on iTunes k?? **

**Press the R button or no chapter 12! **

**Well, there will be a chapter 12 but the faster/more you review, the quicker it will be released.**

**Author power! Mwahahaha, my, how the tables have turned! **

***facepalm* okay, I'll stop now, promise.**

**Review : )**


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own Twilight but I do own all the hard cover books. That counts, right? (Yeah, totally forgot disclaimers for the last 3 chapters so, DISCLAIM DISCLAIM, DISCLAIM!)

Oh mighty Nicarla my fabulous Beta! Many thanks for your help with this one!

I know you're anxious to see what happens. I won't keep you waiting too long this time.

Warning: some slightly graphic content in this one. I will not call it lemon and you will see why….

-Chapter 12-

**Cameron POV**

_Cameron, help me._ Renesmee's voice sounded through my head abruptly.

I nearly dropped the glass I was holding but quickly steadied it in my hand, my mind immediately turning panicked. Her mental voice had sounded desperate and afraid, and I was immediately confused. What could be making her sound scared? She was physically stronger than everyone here, except me. I stood from my seat, my every thought suddenly concerned with Nessie. _Yeah, like they weren't already, _a part of me reminded myself sarcastically.

I left the room I was in, throwing a quick, concerned glance at the sleeping human behind me. She would be fine. It was Nessie I worried about. My brain was in overdrive. Surely the Volturi hadn't come for her yet? They were supposed to wait for my call… No, that couldn't be it. But what else?

I looked around the living room for her, moving quickly. The last time I'd seen her she'd left to go to the kitchen to refresh her drink but since then I assumed she'd come back here. The room was almost deserted, with the exception of a couple on the couch who didn't look like they wanted to be disturbed. I grimaced and wished they would take it to someplace private but didn't have the time to stop and tell them so.

Anxious, I left the living room and glanced in the kitchen. Her scent filtered vaguely around the room but was strongest at the door leading to the back porch. I quickly opened the door and looked around the empty porch. My eyes searched the darkness, straining slightly against the lack of light to discern her figure amongst the shadows. Her scent was mingled with many humans' and I felt my brow furrow as I considered what she'd been doing outside with them. A sudden breeze from the east blew her scent towards me and my acute hearing picked up male laughter on the breeze.

I leapt off the porch, walking quickly across the damp grass in the direction of the forest.

"God, I bet she's tight," I heard a male and familiar voice say from further in the trees. My heart literally froze when the words reached me. _Cameron, help me_… I recalled with new meaning dawning on me.

I caught the recognisable scent of Kyle and some of the boys he hung out with at school on the wind and I my eyes took on a reddish tinge as I sped up. Everything was a blur as I sprinted through the forest at a supernatural speed to find her.

It took me only seconds to arrive at a small clearing. There were six guys from Kyle's crowd clustered around a car and their callous laughter hung in the air.

Unthinkingly, I raced forward, pushing one of them out of the way, and that's when I saw her. They'd laid her on a blanket in the back of an open Jeep and Kyle was hovering over the top of her unconscious body. My eyes found them just as he finished unbuttoning her jeans.

"Get off her, _now_," I said in a dangerous voice as they all turned, startled. My voice was almost unrecognisable, so great was my rage. They didn't know how close I was to snapping. In my seventeen years of life, I'd never once killed any human but my mother, but I was close. _So close_.

"Or what?" Kyle said, straightening up slightly and deliberately placing his hand in between her legs. I growled and jumped forward already planning the mechanics of ripping his throat out with my bare hands.

"There are six of us and only one of you," he continued as I approached the center of the circle but I didn't miss the slight waver to his voice; I knew he was remembering the small confrontation that we'd had at the shopping mall a few weeks back. Perhaps he was even thinking back to a few days ago where I'd nearly hit him in the corridor. I smiled darkly as I replied.

"You asked for it," I said. I turned to the group surrounding me.

I was sure I moved too fast for human company but it was dark and I doubted Kyle would say anything about it. In fact, after I was through with him, he wouldn't be saying _anything _ever again. The group of boys were all out cold on the forest floor before they knew what was happening to them. I'd merely pressed against their throats at the right pressure points, enough to cause them to instantly black out. It wasn't enough, wasn't painful enough a price for them to pay for what they'd done, but it would have to do, for now.

I turned to face Kyle again, enjoying immensely how his face was white with trepidation. I stalked towards him slowly and he jumped off the side of the Jeep.

I quickly directed my gaze at Renesmee, checking to see if she was alright. Her skin was beyond pale and she was obviously unconscious. I briefly speculated why she was unconscious and my mind quickly made the leap that it was the alcohol she'd drank. She wasn't used to alcohol, had no tolerance for it and I shuddered with rage when I thought about what they'd just been about to do to her, take advantage of her innocence. I fought back a growl, turning my glare on Kyle with an almost pleasurable anticipation of the violence that was about to follow.

I could feel the power of my gift at my fingertips, begging to be unleashed. I knew it would take very little concentration or effort to set Kyle on fire, to watch him char alive in front of me. I rarely used my fire-wielding gift for a weapon- or at all for that matter- but in the wake of what the boy in front of me had tried to do to Renesmee, it was almost impossible to hold back.

"Hey, come on, we didn't mean any harm," he stammered, backing up from me.

"Didn't mean any _harm_?" My whole body shook with my anger. "You and I both know you and your friends had every intention of forcing yourselves on her so _do not_ tell me you meant her no harm. You lying son of a bitch!" I ranted, stalking closer to him, my palms warming slightly. I could not keep myself from setting him on fire for much longer, my control already being tested.

"We, uh, we…" he trailed off when he found himself backed up against tree. I saw the terror in his eyes and a part of me faltered briefly. If my life were a cartoon, that would've been the part where the angel and devil fought it out on my shoulders. But no, my life wasn't a cartoon and I wasn't facing some hypothetical dilemma. I was standing in front of a would-be rapist and yet, I found myself hesitating. I sighed angrily, my internal battle still waging as Kyle breathed heavily in front of me. The scent of his fear, the look in his eyes as he cowered in front of me was what saved him.

"I want you gone. You are never to speak to her, look at her, talk about her _ever_ again. I'm not sure why I'm sparing your life but let me promise you, if you of any of your friends even attempt to be in the same room as her at school or otherwise, I will _kill _you. It will be slow and painful, you will wish for death every second of the torture I will put you through" I promised, meaning every word.

The possibility of biting him and letting him endure the agonising process of vampiric transformation had entered my mind, but I'd pushed it away, not wanting to give him the chance to ever hurt her again as he surely would if he were immortalised. I'd never considered my venom to be a weapon before but it had surprisingly been one of the first torture methods that entered my mind. Right along with burning him alive.

Kyle nodded quickly and I stepped away from him with every ounce of control I possessed. Every cell in my body- human and vampire alike- wanted him dead, wanted to taste his blood, make him suffer a horrible, painful death. Walking away was one of the hardest things I would ever do.

"Oh, and uh, Cameron. I don't know if she's put out for you or not but just in case you wanted to, you know... She'll be out cold for another few hours and she won't remember a thing," he said, his voice shaky but some bravado managing to leak into his words. I froze.

Un-fucking-believable.

He thought that he could make this up to me by offering me her unconscious body to do with what I wanted?

I spun to face him, my expression beyond livid.

"What? Come on dude, I'm just saying if maybe you wanted to get with her while she-" he started to say but he didn't get to finish his sentence. I marched back over to him, curled my hand into a fist and rammed it into his jaw with more than enough strength to knock him out but not enough to kill him. It was a close call. By the looks of his jaw, it was probably broken. Good.

His body slumped against the tree and his expression drooped as his consciousness left him. I huffed angrily, unable to comprehend my hatred and other emotions. _What an asshole_, was all I could manage, repeating the phrase in my head like it alone could soothe some of the murderous rage that surrounded me.

I approached the jeep, stepping over the unconscious bodies with disgust, my heart racing with anxiety for the girl. She looked like a corpse, lying there, unmoving as the dim moonlight made her skin glow subtly. I picked her up in my arms, noting that she was cold, too cold. Not dead cold, but not the familiar warmth I was used to, and that worried me. The unconscious bodies I stepped over didn't slow me down as I left the thick forest and returned to the Toddson's yard. I ignore the house and carried her swiftly to her car and laying her gently across the back seat. I shot one more anxious look at her before throwing myself into the driver's seat.

The ride home was quick and I drove perhaps more recklessly than I should have with her laying across the back seat, but my anxiety to get her home made me throw caution to the wind.

I slammed the front door behind me and walked quickly up the stairs with her, kicking open the door to her room. Gently, I laid her down on her bed, watching apprehensively for some sign of life.

"Renesmee?" I said gently, speaking for the first time since I'd threatened Kyle in the woods. Only silence greeted me and I fought back a moan of desperation.

"Nessie, wake up? What did they do to you?" I spoke at her, knowing she was unconscious and wouldn't be able to answer me…

An icy feeling gripped me as I stood beside her. I felt like I was ripped in half, like part of me was dead.

It was in that second as I sat by her bedside that I finally began to realise how much she meant to me. Unless she was near me, I couldn't be fully happy. Unless she was happy, I was never content. Seeing her like that, out cold and vulnerable, physically _hurt_ me.

I was supposed to be distancing myself from her but nowhere inside me could I find the will to leave her side. I couldn't find a more overpowering emotion than what was flowing through me in that second. Gone was my anger, replaced with a tenderness I'd never known before. I cared what happened to her, I cared that she was happy and whenever I was apart from her, I couldn't feel _whole_. Her pain was my pain, her joys brought a smile to my face the way my own now failed to do.

In all my seventeen years of life, I'd felt half empty. When I'd found a human companion in Carolina that hole had been somewhat filled, but I was lying to myself if I said that I'd felt entirely complete. I was one side of a coin, one half of a person, unknowingly looking for the other. And that's what Renesmee was to me now- she was the other.

As I sat in the beautiful half vampire's room by her side, wanting nothing more than for her to awake and smile, it suddenly hit me.

I loved her.

It didn't matter that I wasn't supposed to, that it would cause pain for both of us later, it just _was_. There was no spin I could put on it, it was a fact- plain and simple. As sure as the sun would rise and set each day, as certain as the dawn, was the truth that I loved Renesmee. I found myself smiling involuntarily at the realisation I'd just had concerning her. It was almost ironic that she wasn't awake to realise it.

I stroked her cheek and my eyes were unerringly drawn to her full, pink lips. I felt the urge to touch her, kiss her, love her, pulse through me and I fought it back strongly. I loved her with everything I had, with all I was, but…. I couldn't touch her, kiss her or love her. I loved her, that much I knew with certainty, but what I should do next- I simply didn't know.

Part of me wanted to shout it out loud but the more rational half knew that she should never know the truth. If I told her I was in love with her and then turned around and betrayed her as I had to, how could I live with myself? I'd sworn myself to the Volturi in exchange for Carolina's life but if I went ahead and did just that, I was sealing Renesmee and her family's fate.

How could I choose between the innocent human child I cared about and the tender, sweet, half vampire I loved? I couldn't make that choice.

I knew how hard it would be to hide it from her, probably even harder than pretending I didn't want her every time I saw her. I sighed and put my head in my hands. I didn't know how long I would be able to resist but only hoped it was long enough that I didn't hurt her any more than I had to. If I did happen to let myself slip… I smiled at the thoughts that accosted me and for a minute I let myself envisage a reality where I didn't have to pretend.

I let my thoughts roam as I sat in her room waiting for her to regain consciousness and metabolize the alcohol. I let them drift to a world where we could be together. Renesmee, myself and Carolina. Images of us together, a family, swirled around my mind. It was a sweet world to live in. I knew that Carolina and Renesmee would adore each other and I couldn't help but picture Nessie as a mother, wondering if she would fit the role even with her youth.

I smiled at the idea and wished so much that I was not restricted in the way I was.

_Unless…._ my thoughts trailed off suggestively.

_Unless you gave in and then tried to find a way to help her… What if you didn't let Aro touch you, the way you didn't last time? What if you saved Carolina then found a way to save Nessie and her family? _I inwardly let the idea roll around in my head.

It was appealing.

I could have both things. I could love Renesmee as I so wished I could and still save Carolina. I would have to be careful, oh so careful… It would be a razor's edge I would have to walk but as I took in the girl's still form before me, I knew my decision was made before I'd consciously realised it.

I sighed but smiled. And then I really smiled. I could tell her I loved her. Better yet, I could even act on everything I was feeling. I thought back to the night before, wondered what would have happened if I hadn't changed my course at the last second and kissed her cheek instead. Would she have kissed me back?

And then something caught up with me. I was getting ahead of myself. Who was I to say Renesmee would even want me that way? Did she want something more than friendship from me? I frowned and hesitated only briefly before reaching out and taking Nessie's hand as I had the last time she'd been unconscious.

Her thoughts were fixated on the horribleness of what had just happened to her and I shuddered when I saw things through her eyes. Tonight would not be the night to tell her, not after what she'd been through. I smiled ruefully but continued to hold her hand, listening quietly to her thoughts.

When her mental focus became immersed on a picture of a cup, I was immediately confused. Why was she dreaming about a cup? Then her vision shifted to the bubbly substance inside the cup and it slowly clicked into place. She'd drank a screwdriver drink, I'd heard it from people who'd witnessed and applauded her for the way she'd downed it.

Screwdrivers weren't bubbly.

I got to my feet, letting go of her hand so quickly as I realised my mistake. I thought the alcohol she'd drank had made her pass out. I was wrong. Date rape drugs. What I'd thought Kyle and his buddies had attempted was horrible, disgusting. But what I now realised they'd actually done… It was all that and then some more. There was a special circle reserved in hell for those kinds of men and I knew that they would someday end up there. I intended to get them there so much faster.

A tidal wave of hate surged through me and I was sliding her window open before I realised I'd gotten to my feet.

"Cameron…?" her voice murmured weakly just as I was about to let go of the sill and let loose said anger.

I was clinging to an edge, figuratively and literally. If I let go and murdered those six men, what would that make me? If I climbed back in the window and stayed with the Renesmee while those men walked free, how could I live with myself knowing their intentions?

Just as my fingers tensed to let go, I heard a soft whimper coming from her bed.

She was crying.

With speed I didn't know I possessed, I flung myself back through window and went to the side of her bed. I looked down at her and saw she was sitting up with her knees tucked up to her chin and had her face buried in them with her arms wrapped around her middle. I didn't hesitate as I sat beside her. She looked up through her thick strands of hair and I could see the tears glistening in her chocolate eyes.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered in a shaking voice.

"I'm here," I murmured as I put my arms around her and unthinkingly pulled her onto my lap. I hesitated slightly, realising what I'd done, but when she leaned closer to me I pulled her tightly against my chest anyway. Friend or more- she needed me right now. She started sobbing in earnest then and I felt my hands clench into fists against her back as I considered the horrible men who'd done this to her. I couldn't leave her now but if any of them dared to defy me at school on Monday, I knew I would follow through on my threat without hesitating. In fact, I almost hoped they did. Almost wished for an excuse to have their blood on my hands.

I let her cry until she became silent, rocking her gently and trying to convey comfort and safety with my grasp. Every broken sob felt like a knife stabbing me in the chest. My girl, my _everything_, was in pain and I couldn't do anything about it. I think I may have been squeezing her tighter than necessary but I don't think it was hard enough to hurt her.

I wanted desperately to whisper that I loved her but I knew I couldn't. That would probably frighten her as much as the men who'd done this to her. Now was not the time, at all. I would tell her, but not until she seemed ready to hear it. The thought made my mood sink considerably but I didn't let it show as I held her and comforted her sobs. _Another time_, I promised myself.

During the course of her tears, she slowly unclenched herself from the ball she was huddled in and I could see that she was shaking. I took her trembling hand in mine and smoothed my thumb across it, trying to comfort her. She was my heart, she was my _everything_, and I wanted nothing more than for her to forget her pain, her memories of the night.

"Are you alright?" I asked. _You idiot, she was nearly taken advantage of, how the fuck could she possibly be _alright_?_ I asked of myself the second the words left my lips.

"I don't remember," she whispered, trying to sound brave but failing totally and utterly because her voice shook so hard. Subconsciously, I tightened my hold on her and rested my head against the top of hers.

"They, they tried to-" she cut herself off, drawing in a shaky breath as her body wracked with silent sobs.

"Shhh, it's going to be alright. I promise. I'll never let them hurt you again," I swore.

"I'm s-sorry," she stammered, pulling back and wiping at the tear marks she'd left on my shirt. I hadn't noticed them and truly couldn't care less in that moment.

"What do _you _have to be sorry for? Don't ever say that," I insisted, my thoughts turning angry again. I wouldn't let her blame herself. I looked down at her sweet, tear stained face and softened my tone. "Do you… do you know if they put something in your drink?" I asked gently, sensing it would be a difficult topic for her but needing to know what they had done.

"I think, I think they d-drugged me. All I remember was b-being on the back p-porch with Kyle and his f-friends… They d-d-dragged me t-to the woods and-and… and then… I don't remember," she told me, her body shaking again. I nodded slowly and brought my hand to her back, stroking her hair gently. I knew her words would haunt me for the rest of my life. I felt her hands tentatively reach up to touch my face and I froze.

Her touch was like fire and it was all I could do to resist cupping her face between my hands and attacking her soft lips. She shook the hair out of her face, her eyes shining with more tears as she looked at me, swallowing loudly.

"Thank you, Cameron. You saved me from them. You have no idea how grateful I am," she told me sincerely, her lips turning slightly upward in a timid smile.

"I'd say 'anytime' but if I ever have to think of anyone trying to do that to you again, I'll probably have an aneurysm. I'm just glad I got there in time," I replied honestly, pulling her closer to me again as I cherished the feeling of her little body in my arms. She sighed in what seemed like contentment and we stayed in our still embrace for a long time.

After what seemed like a second, her head suddenly lolled against my shoulder. I briefly panicked, thinking that maybe the drugs hadn't left her system and she was relapsing. I'd heard stories of date-rape-drug victims falling into comas and the thought filled me with dread.

And then I heard her deep even breathing and I relaxed as I realised she was just asleep. I was pleased she was able to sleep as I knew the unconsciousness would help her forget, help her heal.

I frowned at her still form in my arms; I really didn't want to let her go but I knew if she woke up to me still holding her, she would probably be frightened and I didn't want to scare her off. I moved slowly as I gently tried to separate her from my arms so I could lie her back down against her pillow.

She moaned softly in her sleep and her fingers grasped at the material of my shirt. I smiled because she didn't want to let me go, part of me wondering if it meant comfort or something more to her. I wished she would feel the same way about me, yet at the same time I knew she shouldn't. She would get hurt so much less if she didn't love me back.

Her fingers held taught against my shirt and I smiled down at her, drinking in her peaceful expression. There was no crease between her eyes and the tear tracks that had dried against her soft skin gave her an almost ethereal appearance. I held her for a few more seconds before I snapped myself out of it, a new solution presented itself in my head.

We were still sitting on the edge of the bed and I rolled backwards, still holding her, so that we were both horizontal. Renesmee barely stirred as I pulled us both up so that her head connected with a pillow. She was still holding onto me in sleep but when I tried to gently ease myself out of her grip her eyelids fluttered weakly.

"No." Her voice was a command, demanding I stay with her. I couldn't say whether or not she spoke it in her sleep or if it was a conscious, verbal thought, but whatever it was, I was more than happy to comply.

Gently, I reached behind me and tugged my pillow into a comfortable position and pulled Renesmee's closer to mine. I pulled her into my arms and rested my head against hers, smelling the sweet aroma of her cinnamon and berry shampoo and swearing right then and there that it was the best damn combination I'd ever heard of.

Did she do it on purpose? Make herself as innocently alluring as she could? I knew she didn't but couldn't stop the way my body responded as I inhaled her sweet fragrance again.

It was slightly cold but we were both lying on top of the blanket and I was too tired to come up with a way to fix the problem without waking her. Her body was soft in my embrace and I hoped she was warm enough, wondering if maybe I really _should_ get her a blanket. As though she was reading my thoughts, she curled closer to me, pressing fully against me.

I nearly gasped at that, my body reacting quickly and predictably to her sudden… _proximity_. I tried to diffuse the sudden tension in my lower body by thinking about anything undesirable that popped into my head. It wasn't going so well, her small form was so acutely present in my awareness that I couldn't seem to tame my thoughts. As she made another sleepy moan, I knew any mental cold showers I tried would fail as quickly and absolutely as that one had. I sighed, knowing I would just have to live with it.

A cool draft suddenly passed through the room from the window I'd left open and I tightened my arms around her, feeling my eyes droop. I gradually felt myself succumbing to my exhaustion and I inhaled her sweet scent once more as I began to drift.

"I love you," I whispered softly.

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I drifted into oblivion with the girl I loved safe in my arms.

**Renesmee POV**

Saturday morning I woke to the gentle sound of rain tapping against my window. I smiled drowsily, about to turn over and fall back asleep and then like a switch had been flicked, I was suddenly very aware of something. I couldn't tell what it was, but I knew it was something horrible, terrifying. Something that should be very concerning to me.

The alcohol.

The bubbles.

The dizziness.

The forest.

Futile screams.

Hands… their hands everywhere on me, touching me against my will.

I shuddered and only then realised something I probably should have noticed the second I gained consciousness.

There was someone touching me now, too. I could feel their body against the back of mine, one arm draped over my waist and another looped around my stomach, holding me against them. Deep, even breathing told me they were still asleep but that didn't stop me from freezing immediately. I quickly gathered my surroundings and opened my eyes. I was shocked to find myself in my room, lying on my own bed. I could feel myself still dressed in the ridiculous outfit from the night before but looked down to find the zipper on my jeans was undone.

I felt tears form in my eyes and started to shake as soundless sobs resonated deep within me.

Oh God, what had happened to me? I couldn't feel any pain but maybe that was because I was part vampire. Why would Kyle and his friends return me to my own room when they were done with me? Weren't they afraid I would tell?

I wanted desperately to stand, to try and get away from whoever it was on my bed with me but despair locked me in place. I tried to keep still as I sobbed, worried about waking up the other person, but found it impossible. They moved slightly behind me and I gasped, trying futilely to pull myself from their iron grasp. I heard a quick inhalation of breath and then one of the arms was pulled off me as the person propped themselves to a sitting position.

"Nessie?" a familiar voice spoke and I froze for a third time.

It was Cameron? Why was he…? Had he…?

I didn't understand.

When I said nothing he repeated my name hesitantly, pulling himself away from me slightly as if to give me space.

"C-C-Cameron?" I stuttered, rolling over slowly to face him. He relaxed slightly back onto his pillow then, on his side facing me as he regarded me warily.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, staring directly at me and seeming to notice my tears for the first time.

I just stared at him, my mouth not forming words. His face immediately filled with concern and sympathy and that- that pushed me over the edge. I started sobbing uncontrollably, rolling over and trying to face down into my pillow. I felt Cameron pull me away from the pillow, pulling me into his arms and letting me bury my face in his shoulder.

"I'm here," he whispered. Like before, a flood of memories assaulted me, but these- these were better. I remembered waking up in my room, terrified and thinking I was alone and then seeing Cameron darting to the window. I'd called out to him and he'd come back and held me, comforted me. 'I'm here,' he'd said that last night, too, I remembered.

A fresh onslaught of tears overcame me as I remembered my thoughts from a minute ago. I'd thought Cameron had done this to me. In my mind I had, for a second, thought him capable of hurting me. I felt shame wash through me as I sobbed in his arms.

It took me long minutes but not too much later, I felt my eyes drying somewhat. I managed to stop my sniffling for a few seconds, long enough to pull away from him slightly and manage a shaky smile. His grey eyes were filled with pain but then he blinked and it was hidden.

"How are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly, rubbing my back in gentle circles to comfort me.

"A little weird. My head kind of hurts," I replied honestly, reaching my hand up to brush some of the hair from out of my face and rub my temple gently, wincing as the movement set my head throbbing slightly.

"Do you want to… to talk about it at all?" he asked, his hand stilling on my back.

"I… No. I want to just forget about it. I just want to forget," I told him perhaps more sharply than I intended.

"I'll go get you some aspirin," he offered, gently pulling away from me and sitting upright. I immediately missed the warmth that his body had provided and shivered involuntarily. I nodded as he got to his feet.

"Thanks," I whispered, watching with sad eyes as he started to walk towards the door. He paused at the door and turned back to me, indecision in his eyes. Then he held a hand out to me. I smiled timidly and tried to get to my feet to go to him but stumbled clumsily, my limbs strangely lethargic. I toppled sideways and felt strong hands gripping me, steadying me. I didn't have time to blink before he had swept me up in his arms, placed them underneath me to hold me there as he carried me.

"Oh… you don't have to carry me," I mumbled as he started walking.

"Of course I don't," he smiled in a strange way, looking me in the eyes. I found myself blushing for some reason and looking at the floor as we moved quickly along the corridor. I was barely jostled as he made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Gently, as though he were handling glass, he placed me on one of the kitchen stools.

"In the cupboard left of the refrigerator," I directed him to where a small bottle of painkillers was kept for the very rare occasions I'd ever needed them. Cameron took two small pills from the bottle, found a glass in the cupboard and filled it up with water for me. He waited patiently while I swallowed the medicine and then rinsed the glass out for me, leaving it to dry on the sink.

"So… any better?" he asked after a few seconds of silence. Despite how terrible I still felt about the night before and how confused I was, I couldn't help but laugh slightly at his words.

"I think they take more than a few seconds," I told him and he grinned back at me, seeming pleased I was up to joking.

"Probably," he muttered. I chuckled again and then looked down. I caught a brief glimpse of my face in the reflective metal of the sink and was shocked to realise I was still wearing my makeup from last night. Thankfully it had been waterproof and hadn't run while I cried, but at the same time, as soon as I was aware it was on my face it started to bother me.

"I'm going to go and have a shower," I announced, standing slowly from the stool. I could very faintly feel the effects of the aspirin seeping into my system, dulling pain and relaxing nerves.

"Are you alright getting up the stairs," Cameron asked, his lips twitching against a grin as I started for the staircase.

"Oh har-har," I mocked half-heartedly as I traipsed upstairs.

The shower water felt wonderful against my skin and I was reminded of the night before, at Sasha's house. Even the thought of the previous night, of any part of it, made my stomach churn and I fought to keep the limited contents down as I hastily dried myself off.

I was about to leave the bathroom when I looked down at where I had stripped my clothes off and left them, wondering what to do with them. I knew I'd never be able to wear them again, knew I'd feel dirty for even just touching them. I decided quickly that I would wash them and then ball them up in the bottom of my closet to forget about them. But that would have to wait for later. I couldn't bear to even look at them right then, let alone touch them.

I was finally beginning to accept the situations that had occurred last night. Nothing had happened to me- well, stuff had happened to me- but I knew that they hadn't succeeded in hurting me the way they wanted to. I felt ashamed and still slightly fragile, but knew that what I really needed to do was distract myself. Forget.

I re-emerged in my bedroom wearing a simple long sleeve blouse and denim shorts and found Cameron standing in the doorway to the corridor. He had his gaze half averted, I guessed, in case I came out of my shower naked. I almost laughed but my lips wouldn't quite co-operate.

"Would you… Would you like to go out for breakfast?" he asked, looking fully at me once he ascertained I was clothed. I thought about it for a second and then nodded happily. Being reclusive and staying at home all day wouldn't help me forget. It would probably only give me more time to dwell on what had happened and that was something I definitely did not want. _I need to forget_, I reminded myself.

"Where did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I was thinking maybe we could drive up to Woodford and eat breakfast by the water," he suggested quietly, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. I narrowed my eyes almost suspiciously. He'd been acting differently toward me ever since last night and something in my gut told me it wasn't just because he was worried about me reacting to what had nearly happened to me. There was something new in his eyes, something that had been there before but was now more pronounced. I couldn't understand it but found myself feeling almost wary.

"Sounds great. Let me just throw on some better clothes-"

"No. You look great," he interrupted me, stammering over the last part of his words. I cocked my head quizzically to the side as I blushed and smiled.

"Okay, let's go," I agreed.

I locked up the house and turned to look at the sky, seeing that it was still raining slightly. It wasn't enough to bother me, in fact, I revelled in the slightly damp air, the cool breeze. Before I could even take a step to approach either of the cars, Cameron took my arm silently and started leading me in the opposite direction, towards the forest.

"Are we running?" I asked, looking up at him in anticipation, surprised by how excited my voice sounded.

"I thought you might prefer that," he replied, ducking his head slightly. I nodded happily and at some unspoken signal, we both slipped into a light run. Of course, what was to us an effortless pace was faster than any human would ever be able to sprint. We flew through the forest in silence for a few seconds before Cameron spoke.

"Why do you like running?" he inquired lightly, shooting a grin at me from where he ran less than a few feet beside me.

"My father enjoys running. I think I must have inherited it from him. That- and the speed, the freedom. I so rarely get to be a-"

"Vampire," Cameron finished for me, smirking down at me from my side.

"Exactly," I agreed, flashing a smile up at him. "It's nice running with someone who isn't ten times faster than me."

"Yes. I'm probably only four or five times faster than you," he smirked at me, a smile in his voice. I didn't fall for it, instead skidding to a halt on the damp forest floor and glaring at him. He stopped shortly after and jogged back to me, a cautious look on his face. He looked like a small child that knew he was about to get scolded. Nuh uh. Not the puppy eyes. I glared defiantly past his shoulder.

"Four or five times faster?" I snapped, not amused when he stepped slightly to the side so I had to look him in the eyes again.

"Most likely-"

"Arrogant bastard," I muttered, cutting across his words.

"I'm like fine wine, baby. I only get better with age," he joked, stepping closer to me.

"Or cheese," I supplied with a sardonic twist in my voice. His grin disappeared and I allowed myself a small smirk.

"Don't compare me to mouldy dairy products," he said, glaring teasingly at me.

"Don't insinuate you can run faster than me."

"I'm not _insinuating_ anything. It's a fact," he said, smiling to show he was joking. Joke or not, I was going to try to prove him wrong.

"Fine. If I beat you to the coast you're buying me breakfast," I challenged, inwardly smirking. He didn't have any money on him, he never did. We both knew it.

"I don't have any cash," he replied, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Guess you'll have to find some poor, obliging waitress willing to let you steal something from the kitchen," I giggled at his betrayed expression.

"That's cruel Nessie, really cruel." My only reply was a fake, sweet smile. To my surprise his expression softened almost instantly, his eyes taking on a slightly dazed look. I didn't have time to question him or even wonder about it myself; I had a race to win.

"Three, two, one, go!" I called out behind me as I sprinted forward. I faintly heard him start running behind me and a low curse under his breath. I giggled but only allowed a short laugh. I had to focus. I sped up slightly, my legs moving beneath me in a blur. I could faintly hear Cameron's footfalls trailing quite far behind me and I grinned as I continued to push myself faster.

I ran in an almost straight line, heading towards the coast. The other night when I had run, the night before Cameron had returned, I must have run in circles; it had taken me so long. Now, I realised, I was going in a straight line and I could already see the trees thinning to make way for the sand and ocean. It had only been about ten minutes and my legs barely hurt so I pushed myself still harder, ignoring the branches that stuck out at various intervals and caught on my clothes and skin. I didn't have time for them.

After another minute of furious sprinting I finally reached the line of the trees where I slowed down to a human sprinting pace in case there were people around. A cursory glance around me saw that no humans were out braving the cold, wet weather and I sped up again, practically flying the last stretch between the trees and the water.

I couldn't even hear Cameron's footsteps anymore and was confident I had won… until I looked to the ocean. There was a small spot in the near distance that looked suspiciously familiar. The sun sparkled faintly from behind a cloud and I saw his blonde head pop up suddenly.

I squinted slightly to make sure it was him and growled when I saw him wave at me.

"What the hell!" I squealed, childishly stamping my foot when I heard him laughing.

"Fine wine, Ness, fine wine!" he called back.

I glared at him for a moment before my lip twitched. The site of him, floating on his back and smirking proudly at me whilst calling out things about wine was too much. I started laughing, covering my face with my hands to stifle the sound. It was enough that he had beaten me in our little race, but to make me laugh when I wanted to hit him with something. Bastard.

I looked up when I was done laughing to see him slowly emerging from the water. He'd dived in wearing only his shorts, and now that I looked, I could spot his shirt crumpled in a pile next to his shoes nearby on the sand. _Oh God_, I thought helplessly to myself as he emerged, dripping from the water. If I thought a shirtless Cameron was a sight to behold… Wet, shirtless Cameron literally made my knees shake and as he ran a hand through his wet hair, I felt my breath leave me.

_He should go on Baywatch_, my internal voice, so prone to smut, suggested. I nodded in agreement with myself and he quirked an eyebrow at me, confused, as he walked within reaching distance of me.

"I win," he announced unnecessarily, clearing the sudden haze that had taken over my body.

"Yeah, well… Shut up!" I smiled so he knew I was joking and he smiled back.

"Come for a swim?" he asked, inclining his head in the direction of the swirling water. I surveyed it for a moment before firmly shaking my head.

"It looks cold," I told him, not liking the mischievous gleam that ignited in his eye at my words.

"And you look warm," he said.

Before I could blink he had scooped me up in his arms, much as he had earlier when carrying me to the kitchen. Only this time, I wasn't to be placed on a chair. Oh no. I screamed and thrashed in his arms while he walked slowly and purposefully back to the water, my movements not affecting him in the slightest.

He stopped a few feet back from the water and looked me in the eyes, silently telling me to stop fighting. I submitted slowly, wondering if maybe I could talk him out of tossing me in the icy surf. Slowly, he lowered my feet back down to the ground and I shivered as the icy swell swept over our feet.

"I don't have to buy you breakfast," he said simply, his eyes darkening slightly.

"So you've said," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

"So- that's what was supposed to happen if you won. Well, I won. What do I get?" he asked and the way he said it raised goose bumps on my arms.

"I don't know," I admitted, not looking away from his eyes.

"Just do one thing for me then," he requested.

"Okay," I whispered, though I was unsure why.

"Just one thing," he breathed, drawing me slightly closer with the arm still around me.

"Yes," I replied, my skin tingling where he touched me.

"Close your eyes."

**Cameron POV**

"Close your eyes," I whispered to her.

She stared at me for a second, seeming surprised, but obligingly shut her eyes after a short moment. I steeled myself, unsure if what I was doing was right but not really finding it in myself to care anymore. Gently, using the arm that already gripped her waist, I pulled her closer to me, pressing her body against mine. My other hand that had hung limp at my side moved to her face and brushed a few strands of her windswept hair back from her face. She shivered at my touch and I smiled slightly, immensely relieved she wasn't moving away from me or telling me to stop touching her. Because I didn't intend to.

My hand that had brushed away her hair slid slowly to the nape of her neck, and I let my fingers weave through her thick, glossy hair. I tilted her face ever so slightly upward and closed my own eyes on instinct. I could feel my heart pounding loudly over the sound of the sound of the surf, my every nerve alive with the electricity in the air around us.

Without another thought, I lowered my mouth to hers and pressed gently. Her lips were soft and so smooth beneath mine, but they remained still so I did too. I didn't want to rush her, to be too forward. An almost surprised sounding gasp came from her mouth and then I felt, impossibly, I felt her lips move against mine. She was kissing me back. Not pushing me away, kissing me back! I tried not to let my excitement overcome me as I moved my lips with hers, the kiss remaining slow and sweet.

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, giving in to my love for her, kissing her, letting everything I felt pour into the way our lips moved together. It felt so natural, so perfect. With the sounds of the sea crashing behind us and the gulls crying in the distance, I couldn't think of a more perfect ambience.

And then the one sound that could have stopped me in that moment broke the sweet silence, shattered the peaceful mood.

The simple text message tone that was preset on my cell phone rang out noisily from where I'd placed it in the folds of my shirt.

I pulled back from Nessie instantly, knowing I couldn't stand there and kiss her how I wanted to when there was a message from the Volturi- possibly about Carolina- waiting.

"Um. I just need to check that," I breathed, noticing her eyes were still shut. She nodded almost absentmindedly and I turned, walking quickly to where I'd piled my possessions. I dug through the fabric of the shirt for a few seconds before I found the flat silver device.

Sure enough, when I checked the small screen, it announced that I had one new text message. I pressed the 'open' button, anxious to know if it carried news of Carolina.

It didn't.

The simple 8 word message nearly made me gasp but I held it in check so as not to frighten the girl I'd just left on the beach.

_We have lost patience. You have one week._

**:S This isn't **_**technically **_**a cliffie, is it?**

**Who liked their first kiss? *raises hand* I'm not sure why I picked the beach but… Well, shit happens : )**

**Also- thoughts on the song from last chapter? I Fall by Fatis Valour. If you haven't checked it out yet, I would recommend it.**

**I hate my summary. Hate it more than I hate Kyle right now. Who thinks they can come up with a good summary for my fic? Any takers just review/PM it to me, would appreciate very muchos :P**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone that did! Most reviews for a chapter- EVER!**

**REVIEW for **_**free**_** virtual fruit tingles. Oh, and the next chapter. But I think you should really be focusing on those tingles. Dayem I like my fruit tingles. Please tell me Americans know what they are and I don't sound insane. Seriously. Someone PLEASE reassure me you know of them. But more importantly-**

**REVIEW : D**


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own Twilight. Yeah, rub it in… 

Many thanks for the reviews, you special ones that bother are the reason I write this. So here's a shout out to my 2 favourite readers and reviewers-

Rwinglesx

EdwardMakeMeGoMmmm

ShannaCullen104

Here's a new idea- EPOV! Haha yeah, I'm a huge Dadward fan so let's hope my first attempt at writing him isn't fail…

A fair few POV changes in this one… Sorry to the people that don't like that, but… So many characters, so much happening for them right now and I don't want anyone's story to be lost in the confusion. 

Wow, longest chapter yet :D THANKS NICARLA FOR BETAING!

Enjoy.

-Chapter 13-

**Edward POV**

I ground my teeth silently in frustration and glared across the room at nothing in particular. I hated feeling trapped, cornered. My entire being wanted nothing more than to burst free of our small prison and try to escape- all to find Renesmee before they brought her here. My mind immediately clouded with misery at the mere thought of my daughter. I tried my best not to think about her too much, because I could do nothing to help her.

Her sweet face and simple smile filled my thoughts and I clenched my first in anger. I had no way of knowing how she fared or if she was even alive and that drove me crazy.

"Don't think like that," Bella whispered softly from beside me, her black eyes trained on my face.

"And they think _I'm _the mind reader," I chuckled humourlessly as I took in my love's expression. There was a now-permanent crease across her forehead, a rupture in perfectly carved marble that was more than unsettling. It had been a month we'd been kept here and throughout it all she'd managed to mentally shield all of us. I couldn't have been prouder of her but it pained me to know she was in a constant state of discomfort.

"No- I just know you," she replied, barely managing to twitch her lips into a half smile for me. I frowned but grasped her hand more firmly in my own. I didn't need to be told to know that she worried just as much as I did about our baby girl. It didn't matter to either of us that Renesmee was now technically grown, an adult, we would never be able to think of her as anything other than our sweet, innocent child.

My thoughts turned predictably dark as I considered what she must be going through right now. She took after me, which was, admittedly, not a good thing. I knew she would turn all of her fears and doubts inward, tormenting herself until she felt like she had no other option than to run. And when she inevitably did, she would run straight into the waiting arms of the Volturi. I cursed myself for agreeing to come here to Italy, to leave her alone.

_Not alone_, I corrected myself. She had the boy, the other half vampire.

I remembered back to the night I'd met Cameron. I remembered trying to read his thoughts, to pull his intentions straight from his mind, but his thoughts had been preoccupied. Almost conveniently so. They hadn't been evasive as such, more…. subtly elusive.

Carlisle had said he trusted him and he hadn't tried to harm my daughter when they'd been in the forest together. The slightest inklings of trust and hope crept through my frozen veins as I considered him. I'd almost forgotten him, forgotten that he was with my daughter protecting her. At least, that's what I hoped. We'd had no other option than to trust him at the time. Alice's vision had shown him standing between Renesmee and a Volturi guard and I tried to comfort my anguished thoughts with that small piece of knowledge, with the knowledge that he may help us to protect her.

Because nothing else mattered.

Except my Bella. Thoughts of the safety of my mate and my daughter were a constant plague upon my already tormented thoughts.

The rest of my family was not coping well with imprisonment.

I refused to go anywhere near Jasper's thoughts- so consumed with blood lust and thirst that I feared the weight of his desire coupled with my own could be enough to push me over the edge.

Rosalie was attempting to distract herself from her thirst with thoughts of the small human child we'd seen when we'd first been brought here. Ever since the small girl had confused Rosalie with her mother, my blonde sister had been unable to stop thinking about her. I knew how fervently she wished for a child of her own and the fact that the child was already here and seemed to know about vampires had ignited a hope she hadn't felt since Renesmee's birth. The idea that the child might have since been feasted on hadn't occurred to my sister and I would not be so cruel as to plant the idea in her head.

Esme and Carlisle sat together on the floor, leaning against the circular wall and clasping hands. I could read in Carlisle's thoughts how much he truly loathed himself for being the one to bring us here, to put his family in this situation. Not one of us blamed him but he seemed to have taken a leaf out of my book and could not seem to overcome his self-directed hatred. Esme worried incessantly about us, her children. She feared we would not escape this prison and her heart ached at the prospect of us knowing pain.

Emmett was dealing with his thirst the only way he knew how. Images of Rosalie that I would never wish to see cropped up in his mind every few minutes and he managed to distract himself by reminiscing about romantic escapades they'd taken together. I steered clear of his head as surely as I did Jasper's.

A mental gasp from across the room had me directing my gaze and thoughts towards Alice. Her tiny mouth had fallen open in an 'o' and her eyes were unfocused as she looked into someone's future. Ever since her most recent vision that she'd hidden from me, I'd been on edge, ready to delve into her thoughts at the slightest indication. What I'd always considered a horrible invasion of privacy I now clung to hopelessly. I needed to know if she could see anything of my daughter and I had the inkling that whatever she had seen had involved Renesmee. But she had blocked me and had been very careful with her thoughts ever since.

That's why I was surprised when her thoughts were open to me for the first time in over a week.

I saw things through her eyes, felt my vision blur slightly as I entered her mind and saw what had made her gasp. It took a lot to surprise Alice.

A blurry figure, a shadow crouched over the perfectly discernible figure of my daughter. Other shadows crowded around and it wasn't until one of the shadowy figures tried to touch Renesmee that it clicked in my mind. Suddenly my thoughts were buried in the past, in an alleyway in the town of Port Angeles. The vile men who had wanted to hurt my Bella…. More of the same kind of men were going to try and hurt my daughter. An enraged growl came through my teeth and my family immediately turned to me in alarm, my sound having been the only thing to break the silence so heavily in days.

"Edward, calm down! Look at the rest of the vision," Alice begged, her expression was alarmed but not nearly as much as I would bet mine was. Grudgingly, for I did not wish to see that image again, I delved back into Alice's open mind. Just as one of the figures reached Renesmee, their filthy hands outstretched to her unconscious body, they were stopped by someone blocking their path. There was someone standing between my daughter and the monsters. I'd half expected it to be Jacob, but no, it was the other half vampire we'd left with Renesmee. Cameron. That was the second vision Alice had had of him stepping forth to protect my baby. Hmmm.

Relief swelled through me and I sagged wearily against the wall, feeling Bella looking intensely at me.

"Edward! What did Alice see? My baby?" my mate demanded in a forceful voice.

I looked up and met Rosalie's eyes across the room. Her eyes went vacant for a short moment before she slumped against Emmett's side, her eyes wide with horror.

"No, not that! Not to Nessie!" she sobbed brokenly, tearlessly.

Jasper and Emmett's eyes both darkened perceptibly at the thought of someone trying to hurt their beloved niece that way. I saw atypical rage appear on Carlisle's usually calm face and Esme had hidden her face in her hands and was shaking with soundless sobs.

"Rose, it's alright. Cameron saves her in time," Alice reassured her from the other side of the room. I saw the relief overcome my sister and she straightened up slightly, her eyes glassy still. A brief mental sweep of her head told me she was reminiscing about the piece of her past that led her immortality. The world should be rid of men like that, men that would hurt women in such a way.

Beside me, Bella had frozen to my side, gripping my hand as though it were the only thing keeping her alive.

"Someone's going to try and hurt our baby?" she whispered blankly. I turned so that I was facing her and nodded reluctantly.

"Who?" she asked in a voice I so rarely heard her use. It was what I referred to as her lioness voice. She never spoke like that unless someone threatened our daughter and my rage flared again as I recalled the one recognizable face I'd seen amongst the shadows.

"Kyle. The boy from school that chases her," I explained quietly, my tone still livid.

"I'll kill him myself," four voices responded unanimously. I looked up in surprise to see who, apart from Bella, had spoken. Rosalie and Emmett stood together, hands clasped and expressions fiery. Jasper looked the most animated I'd seen him in weeks and I felt a wave of bloodlust sweep through the room.

"Jasper! Children, no, violence is not the answer. We will not have this boy's blood on our hands, not one of us. It would perhaps be a different matter if he succeeded but Alice can see that Cameron will be able to stop him in time-"

"_Them_," Alice interrupted Carlisle disgustedly and for a moment no one knew how to process what she had said.

"Them? As in…. more than one?" Emmett said, breaking the tense silence.

"Yes. But they're just humans, Cameron will overpower them, I can see it," Alice reassured everyone hurriedly.

I heard mutters of disgust roll around the room as my family each sorted through this turn of events in their minds.

_Edward_.

I looked up when Alice mentally called my name.

_Edward, I'm about to show you another vision but you have to promise not to freak out. If the others know, everything will be ruined and Nessie will be lost. You must protect this at all costs_, she thought towards me.

I nodded immediately, my thirst for knowledge so suddenly awakened, refusing to be quelled.

I braced myself for something else unpleasant, for sickening images of torture and pain. I was shocked by what I saw instead but carefully kept my expression vacant and showed no sign of the inner turmoil that was raging inside me. My daughter, my baby was… she was locked in a passionate embrace with Cameron, with the half vampire we'd left to guard her. I watched through Alice's head as they pulled away from each other and a few silent words were said. I could see Renesmee's face as it shone with happiness and a look I knew well appeared in her eyes. The same look that I saw in the mirror when I thought about Bella, the same look that crossed Carlisle's face when he would look at Esme.

My daughter was growing up.

My daughter had kissed a boy.

My daughter was in love.

**Renesmee POV**

I stood perfectly still with my eyes closed, even after I felt Cameron move away from me to check his phone. My blood still pounded fiercely, my hands shook slightly and my knees felt weak beneath me. And yet I couldn't think of a moment I'd ever felt more alive, more happy, than I had when I'd felt his mouth on mine. The kiss had been sweet, gentle and more than I'd ever dreamed it would be. It had felt like a fairy tale; standing on the beach with light rain falling to the Earth around us.

My first kiss.

I let out a breath I didn't realise I'd been holding and gradually opened my eyes. Cameron was standing over by his shirt on the sand, his eyes fixed to the small cell phone screen. I saw something flicker in his eyes that looked almost like alarm but it was gone quickly before I could really process it. I watched him lean down and retrieve his shirt, pulling it over his head in one swift motion.

"Sorry about that. I thought it might have been something… urgent," he explained as he walked slowly towards me.

"Oh," I replied lamely, having forgotten to care in my moment of utter happiness.

"But more importantly…" he trailed off and reached hesitantly for my hand. A random suppressed memory of the night before flashed through my mind, dark figures and shadows, reaching hands…. I found my hand jerking away from his before I consciously realised I'd done it. The adrenaline from his kiss still flowed freely through my veins and my body had taken over for a short second, reacting instinctively to protect itself.

I cringed as hurt flashed across Cameron's face. He fought to keep his expression blank but it was too late, I had seen the rejection flash in his eyes and the consequential hurt it caused. _I_ caused.

"Sorry," he muttered as he turned away from me, taking steps towards the trees, towards home.

"Cameron, wait," I called, my legs frozen, unmoving to follow him. He froze and turned slowly to face me.

"I'm sorry. I just- I just, freaked out for a second. Sorry," I apologized, somehow walking forward to where he stood. I tentatively reached out my hand for him to take and smiled when his eyes returned to normal. His hand took mine and part of me instantly felt the relief that accompanied it.

"Does this bother you?" he asked, looking down at our where our hands were joined.

"No! I mean… well, no, I'm not bothered by it," I amended quickly. He didn't look convinced and fixed me with a solemn stare.

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he said, eyes downcast.

"Cameron?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up. I'm not uncomfortable. I'm… happy. You make me happy," I told him honestly, my eyes drawn to the grey ocean where waves crashed noisily. The colour matched his eyes.

"I'm glad," he replied simply, drawing me close with our joined hands. "And you…" he trailed off, bringing his lips to the side of my neck and planting soft kisses against me. I felt a small shiver run through my body as his lips drew a line up my throat. I found my lips parting reflexively as his warm mouth met my own in a soft kiss. It was brief and I found him pulling away after only a few short seconds. "Make me happy," he finally finished, smiling as our eyes remained focused on each other's.

I felt myself blush and a strange smile crept over my face, accompanied by a new light in my eyes. In that moment, something came over me, something warm and inviting. It felt like it had been there for a long time but I had been too blind to see it before. Suddenly, it was too hard to ignore. I'd never been a big believer in fate, but at that moment, for the first time I let the feeling of joy swallow me up, embrace me with its soft light.

From my new perspective, it was plain to see why I always got butterflies when he smiled at me, why I blushed when he was near and why I couldn't stop thinking about him. It was apparent why I'd missed him so badly when he'd been gone, how even the brush of his fingertips against me could make me feel things I'd never felt before.

I was in love with him.

A startled gasp broke through my lips and a puzzled look came over him. I smiled reassuringly, not wanting him to think I was having second thoughts or anything. I didn't know what to do with my new realisation. _Should I tell him?_ I asked of myself, my stomach clenching at the idea. He'd kissed me, told me I made him happy, but… Love? Was it possible he felt even a portion of what was pulsing through me at that moment?

'_You two are gone on each other, it's obvious from the way he looks at you. And you always get that dopey look on your face whenever he's around'_. Sasha's words from the night before flashed through my mind. She was right. But was there any chance she was right about him? Did he return any of my feelings?

Could I open myself up like that to him, bare my heart and hope he would not reject me? I looked into his eyes and whilst the newfound part of me screamed that of course he would return my feelings, the detached, broken part squelched any confident thoughts that may have led to a confession of my feelings. _Not now_, I told myself, promising that another time would come where I could say the words.

"It's past breakfast time, but would you be interested in lunch?" Cameron asked, breaking me out of my own thoughts.

"That sounds great." I nodded and allowed my face to return to a smile. _Later_, I promised myself.

Later.

**Cameron POV**

It was insanely difficult to calm myself after reading the message from the Volturi but for Nessie, I tried. A sense of inescapability came over me as we headed toward a small café for lunch. There was nothing I could do to stop them from coming, nothing I could do to stop what was going to happen. In a small way, it was relieving to have the matter taken out of my hands. One week was not long, but in it, I planned to show Renesmee exactly how much she meant to me, how much I loved her, how much I wanted her to trust me. Because in one week, there would be nothing left but for her to trust me. Everything in her life would lay in tatters around her, but I needed her to trust me, to know deep down that I would come through for her. For that to happen, she would honestly have to believe I was an enemy when the Volturi came for her.

I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind as we walked, hand in hand, through the forest. I don't think either of us really knew where we were going. I also knew that neither of us cared. I'd watched as her face lit up after I kissed her. She'd enjoyed it, well, at least she'd seemed to.

"What do you feel like?" I asked, stroking my thumb slowly across the back of her hand.

"Happy," she answered immediately, turning to smile at me. I was momentarily blinded by the beauty in it and felt desire sweep through me. I stopped walking and pulled her face swiftly to mine, crushing her lips beneath my own and earning a surprised sounding gasp from her. It was a brief kiss and I pulled away after a few seconds, chuckling quietly.

"So glad I can do that now," I muttered under my breath, still able to taste her on my mouth. So sweet. She blushed and looked up at me from under her long lashes. "But I actually meant what do you feel like for lunch," I said, laughing fully as her eyes flashed with recognition.

"Oh. Um, I don't know. What do you feel like?" she turned my earlier question against me.

"Happy," I remarked, smirking at her irked face. I slipped my hand from hers and wrapped it around her waist instead, resuming walking. The way we kept stopping every few minutes, we would never end up eating.

"Food you idiot," she laughed. "I don't think I even know what your favourite food is. The only thing I know you like is plain toast."

"True. I've never really had a favourite food. I couldn't afford that luxury growing up," I explained, feeling no reservations about spreading the truth before her.

"I'm sorry," she told me and I could tell she was sincere.

"I am, too. Carolina always liked apples." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. Something about Renesmee opened me up, exposed everything I had to offer. It was like my heart could and would take over whenever it pleased now. God forbid I would say something to give my final secret away.

"That's funny. Not many children like fruit," she smiled, her expression curious. I exhaled deeply, figuring that there was no turning back now. And part of me wanted her to know about Carolina, about the other half of my heart. I wanted her to know my secrets, to know me. I was willing to let her in as I had never let anyone before.

"She's not your usual child," I agreed. Nessie's face was somewhat guarded but a tentative smile was upon her lips. I could tell she wanted to hear more but was hesitant to push me too far.

"Nessie. Don't look so worried. I want you to know me, to know her," I whispered quietly, grasping her hand tighter in mine. Her face was serious and I could tell she understood how hard this was for me. A life of isolation, of travelling and running. It was no light matter to lay bare my secrets before this girl.

"Tell me about her?" she asked quietly.

"What do you want to know?"

"How did you meet her?" she asked. I grimaced shortly, my mind reflexively defensive. I hadn't even told Carolina about her parents. _You wanted her to know your secrets_, part of me reminded myself. I breathed deeply before answering.

"I was running through the south, travelling like the nomad I was. She was there on the side of the road, covered in blood and completely alone." I watched as Nessie's face took on a slightly paler undertone. I glanced at her cautiously and she nodded for me to continue. "She was tiny, so small, yet… She was the first person I'd talked to in months and she was so- so trusting, so open. So ready to give her love, unconditionally, to another person. I became that person. Her parents had abandoned her on the side of the highway, left her there." My voice shook slightly with remembered anger. "I've since looked into it, and what I found wasn't pretty."

I continued with my story, telling her of the long week I'd left Carolina with a human I'd befriended and trusted, the week where I'd tracked down her parents. I'd traced them to a small town in New Hampshire only to find her mother had been killed in a tragic car accident a year earlier. Carolina's father had been driving.

"They were going through the trial while I was there. The character witnesses that spoke against Carolina's father said things that would make you sick to hear them. He was from a wealthy family and had lived in a good neighbourhood. The neighbours said they would hear the mother's screams daily. After a year, a few thought they could hear a small child wailing but they dismissed it because no one had seen such a child." I stopped speaking there for Nessie had turned suddenly so pale and I could see her body trembling slightly, as it had the night before. I cursed myself for scaring her, having been too caught up in my story to notice the effect I was having on her. Just as I opened my mouth to apologize she spoke.

"Go on," she whispered. I continued reluctantly.

"I couldn't stay in New Hampshire long, I couldn't be apart from Carolina for any considerable time. She needed me to stay with her. I left the day of the verdict."

"What was the sentence?" Nessie breathed shakily.

"He was found not guilty and acquitted of all charges," I spoke numbly, remembering my anger at the foreman's words.

"What! But, there were witnesses and you said- you said she was bleeding. There would have to have been DNA somewhere-"

"He bought out the jury," I interrupted her. "I told you he came from an influential family, from somewhere in England."

"What part of England?" she asked and her eyes looked curious and disbelieving.

"Rochester I think, why?" I asked.

"Wait. Do you have a picture of Carolina?" she demanded suddenly, her voice nervous. I hesitated before saying that yes, I did. "May I see it?" she requested. I nodded and took out my phone, carefully making sure that the screen lock was on so that she didn't see anything she shouldn't. I passed her the small device and she looked at the background image of Carolina's face for a few long, drawn out seconds.

"No, it's not possible," she muttered. I quirked an eyebrow at her, suddenly curious. Did she know Carolina?

"What is it?"

"Did you happen to learn Carolina's last name?" she whispered, almost fearfully.

"Carolina King," I said.

"It is. She looks so much like the photos of him, but I never thought…"

"Who? Who does she look like?"

"My Aunt Rosalie, she… When she was human, she was engaged to a horrible man. She showed me a picture of him. Royce King was his name. Him and his friends, they- they did terrible things to her. Like last night…" My heart tightened with grief as I saw her expression waver. "But Rose killed him when she was turned vampire… She took her revenge and murdered them all. He couldn't have descendants…" she finished, questioning her own words but sounding resigned to believing them.

"Is it possible he might have lived? Perhaps she didn't kill him."

"Maybe…" she trailed off, her eyes swimming with apprehension and confusion.

"And you're sure… You're quite sure that this Royce looks like a relative of Carolina's?"

"I'm positive. That face is ingrained in my memory. When Rosalie told me the story she showed me a photograph of him. They have the same pale blue eyes and their faces are quite alike."

"That's so strange. I wonder what your Aunt would say if she knew," I wondered aloud, still caught up in the fact that Renesmee knew Carolina- to an extent.

"I'm not sure," she replied.

There was a few minutes of contemplative silence between us. The mood gradually returned to normal after a few moments when we stepped through the trees- we had not stopped walking throughout our discussion- and out onto a familiar main road.

"You still up for lunch?" I asked, thinking that it may be better for us to just go home. "If you want, we can go home. I'll cook for you," I promised.

Much to my annoyance, she burst out laughing.

"No thank you-" she managed between giggles, "I don't really feel like ramen noodles today." I smirked, knowing she was fully justified in her criticism of my culinary skills but not altogether pleased that she was able to laugh quite so much at my expense.

I leaned in quickly to cover her lips with my own, effectively silencing her laughter. I felt her body turn slightly limp in my arms and chuckled as I pulled away after a short moment.

"That shut you up," I said cheekily. She grinned before adopting a mock-stern expression.

"Quiet you," she ordered, punching me lightly in the shoulder.

"Yes Ma'am," I laughed, offering a quick bow.

"Lunch. We will have…" she trailed off and shut her eyes, spinning in a circle with a finger pointed outward. I laughed indulgently, amused by her childish antics. She finally came to a stop pointing in the general direction of the town center. So we walked into Woodford, holding hands and joking around. Both of us seemed to have decided to put Carolina's terrible story behind us, for now.

We ended up in a small diner on the fringes of town. We quickly seated ourselves in a booth towards the back of the diner. She had moved to sit opposite me but I'd pulled against her arm , sending her crashing backwards into the seat beside me.

"You could have just asked me to sit next to you," she grumbled, but the smile on her face negated any effect her words might have had on me. I felt the same deliriously happy feeling flow through from earlier. It was dampened from the retelling of Carolina's story but my mood was unable to be darkened. I was happy, Renesmee was happy. Nothing could go wrong now.

Karma's a bitch.

"Can I take your order? Oh, fancy seeing you here," the waitress spoke and I looked up from where I had been lost in Renesmee's beautiful brown eyes to the familiar figure before us. Clad in a simple waitressing outfit, complete with pad of paper and pen in hand, was Crazy Drunk Girl from the night before. She was sporting a terrible hangover, by the looks of it, and the amount of eye makeup she had used to try and cover the rings under her eyes didn't quite match her natural skin tone, giving her an almost comical look.

"Oh. Er, hello," I responded nervously, my eyes flitting to where Nessie was looking between us with a look of horrible recognition on her face.

"I didn't think I'd see you again after last night. That was, wow. You should call me sometime," the waitress gushed, a vindictive smirk on her face as she regarded the way I held onto Nessie. I felt anxious for a brief moment. Even though nothing had happened between me and the human girl, I still felt horribly guilty. I felt like somehow I'd cheated on Renesmee.

"Excuse me," she murmured, pulling herself out of my arms and brushing angrily past the waitress.

I sat still for a short moment before I was on my feet and walking after Renesmee who was walking out the diner's doors.

"Join AA or something," I snapped over my shoulder at the waitress as I opened the door.

"Nessie, wait!" I called after her, following as quickly as I could with humans around, as she headed for the cover of the nearby forest. I knew that as soon as she was concealed in the thick branches, she would run. I would chase her and find out why she was reacting this way but I would much prefer it didn't come to that. I caught her just as her slight figure entered the dense shadows that the trees offered. I grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her back toward me.

"Let me go Cameron," she ordered angrily.

"Nessie, you have to let me expl-"

"_No_. I will not let you do this to me. You were with that girl last night, I saw you kiss her." I'm sure my mouth literally dropped open.

"What the fuck? I never kissed-"

"Save it," she growled angrily, her beautiful brown eyes smouldering with angry fire.

"_No_. You will listen to me explain what happened because I won't let you walk away from me believing a lie," I swore, my tone matching hers. She stared back into my eyes for a moment before nodding stiffly once.

"Now, I'm going to let you go. Please don't run, I need you to believe me," I told her. And I did. I needed her to know I had not lied. I couldn't let her go now, it would surely kill me. I was unsure what she'd meant when she said she saw me kiss the human. And if she thought so, why hadn't she mentioned it earlier?

"What do you think you saw?" I asked, slowly releasing her wrist.

"In the den, after we danced. I heard some girls talking about you and that girl in the room together. I went after you to see if you needed help getting her away from you but by that point you were both so wrapped up in each other I don't think you _wanted _help getting her away." She paused and let her words sink in. And then I remembered. Someone had come to the doorway and then left so suddenly before I looked up see who it was.

"I didn't kiss her. What you saw _was _me trying to get her away from me. I don't know what you think of me but I'm not the type of guy that would go around taking advantage of drunk girls," I muttered angrily, unthinkingly. I regretted my words as soon as I said them, watched as her face turned pale again. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she looked at the ground between us, her lip between her teeth.

"Oh God, Nessie. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to- I… Come here," I stammered, pulling her into my chest as her tears spilled over and her tears wet the front of my shirt. She didn't sob loudly, only a quiet whimpers escaping her mouth. I held on for dear life, completely amazed at how quickly I had ruined my own happiness.

"I'm so sorry, Renesmee. I didn't mean it like that, I'm so sorry sweetheart," I whispered, stroking her hair gently.

Another thought struck me and I gently pushed her away from me so I could look at her face.

"Was that what made you do it? Go and down that spiked drink?" I asked, dreading the answer. She bit her lip and looked up at me through tear soaked lashes before nodding slowly once. I numbly let myself stagger backwards until my back hit a tree.

Oh God.

I had done this.

I was as much responsible as Kyle and his friends were.

It was _I _who had driven her to drink the drugged alcohol.

If it weren't for me, she would never have had to face the horror of what had nearly happened to her.

"If it weren't for me…" I mumbled aloud, echoing my own thoughts.

"If it weren't for you they would have succeeded. You saved me from them," she whispered, stepping closer towards me again. I cringed away from her touch. She was an angel, too precious and too beautiful for someone like me. I'd only proved it with what I'd caused last night.

"They would have found another way, Cameron," she murmured, approaching me again despite my previous reaction. How was it that _she _was comforting _me _now?

"Maybe. But the fact remains that they didn't. They had last night's opportunity, the opportunity I all but threw at them!"

"Please. Don't blame yourself. _I'm _the one that drank it-"

"No!" I cut sharply across her, narrowing my eyes in anger. She flinched. "Dammit Renesmee, don't you _dare _blame yourself," I demanded, beyond anger. How could she turn this around against herself? How could she _possibly _try and shoulder the blame for this?

"Cameron, stop. Please," she begged in a soft whisper. I froze, drawing in shuddering breaths. I was scaring her further, something I hadn't intended to do at all.

"I forgive you. Whatever blame you think you take from this, I forgive you," she murmured, walking forward and wrapping her arms tightly around me. I did not wrap my arms around her in return as I so wanted to and I could tell she didn't like that. I sighed in defeat, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my head on hers.

"Now you. Do you forgive me?" she asked and if she hadn't been holding onto me quite so hard I would have pulled away to look at her in incredulity.

"For what?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"For overacting about that girl."

"No, you can hardly be blamed for-"

"Do you forgive me?"

"But there's nothing to-"

"Cameron," she growled. I sighed in defeat.

"I forgive you," I muttered dubiously.

"Good," she replied, pulling back and straightening up to smile at me. I allowed a small smile back.

She surprised me a moment later by reaching up on her tiptoes to press her lips gently against mine. I was frozen for half an instant, shocked that she had made the first move, but then I came to my senses. I let her lead the kiss, controlling the intensity. I couldn't quite control my hands, though, and one tangled in her hair, the other catching one of her free hands. Still, I didn't make any move to shift the control. Steadily, the kiss became more urgent and I dropped her hand, mine now making its way to the side of her face. I finally pulled her closer, deepening the kiss how I wished and she relinquished the control with a brief smile against my lips.

When we breathlessly broke apart a few minutes later, I'd almost forgotten why I'd been angry. No doubt that was her intention. All I could think about was how close we'd been and how I wanted nothing more than to be closer, to feel her soft skin against mine....

"I don't deserve you," I said honestly, holding her head between my hands. She raised her hand gently to my face and pressed a finger against my lips to silence me.

"Let's go home. You can cook lunch for us," she smiled, stepping away and pulling my hand, leading me through the forest after her. I couldn't help but smile as I followed her, astounded how things could turn around again so quickly. I had to concentrate hard and make a conscious effort to keep my hands to myself all the way home.

Rain began to fall as we approached the house and we picked up the pace to make it to the door before we were soaked to our skin. Though I wouldn't have minded seeing her white blouse turn see-through… The memory of her chest the first night I'd met her still burned in my thoughts when I let them get out of control. Sky blue bra with white lace trim. Not that I had looked… that much.

"Uh, I'm all wet," she announced, brushing down her clothes as if that would somehow dry them.

"Go dry yourself off, I'll take care of lunch," I laughed. She pretended to look around the kitchen nervously and my smile dropped.

"Come _on_. I'm not that bad," I defended myself, my frown cracking as her smile widened.

"Sure, sure… But if I come back downstairs and if anything's on fire, you won't hear the end of it," she swore wickedly.

I allowed my gift to flow quickly through me, igniting bright orange flames in the palms of my hands. The tongues of fire licked at my fingers but I did not feel the heat and my fingers remained unharmed. She froze slightly and looked me in the eyes.

"I forget you can do that sometimes…" she muttered.

"Don't forget it. I'm dangerous," I replied, wondering if she detected the serious undertone in my words.

"What's for lunch, anyway?" Nessie asked after I'd quickly extinguished the flames with my thoughts.

"Surprise," I smirked and she raised an eyebrow before heading upstairs to freshen up.

Crap.

_What _is _for lunch, Cameron?_

**Renesmee POV**

I sighed briefly as I closed my door behind me. I had so much to think about and not nearly enough time nor patience to process any of it. I'd learnt so much this morning about him, about his life. Carolina's tale had truly frightened me and the thought of a small child having to endure what he spoke of made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and my fists clench in anger. Carolina was lucky he had found her and been willing to take care of her.

And then there was the slightly alarming revelation I'd had about my feelings for him. I'd always secretly wondered if one day I would feel anything for anyone in a romantic way. Growing up, almost everyone had expected it was only a matter of time until those feelings cropped up for Jacob. When they hadn't, nearly everyone had simply dismissed the notion that I would ever want another man. If I didn't want my soul mate in a romantic way then surely no one else would catch my eye.

Surely they hadn't accounted for Cameron then.

Because I couldn't deny it anymore. I loved him. I wanted to be with him forever and never have to leave his side, no matter what that meant. A shiver came over me for some reason as I finished towelling my wet hair.

I shook it off and strode back down the stairs absentmindedly. When I entered the kitchen, Cameron looked up to meet my eyes from where he was standing before the stove. I was only spared a brief glance before he returned his focus to the hot cooking appliance in front of him.

"Uh, can I ask what you're making?" I inquired gently, walking over to see what he was cooking. To one side of the stove there was a mixing bowl filled with an unhealthy pale coloured mixture and a spoon balanced precariously on the edge of the counter, covered in the mix. In the pan I could see a faintly brownish yellow blob in some kind of disfigured shape.

"Pancakes," we said at exactly the same time. He turned to me, glaring at the slightly dubious way that I had said the word.

"I did exactly what the book said!" he protested, an adorable pout appearing on his face. He pointed behind him to where the cookbook was on the countertop and then back at me, as if asking me why the book had lied to him. I took one look at the book and the mixture in the bowl and then burst into laughter. The look on his face only made me laugh harder and I watched as his lips began to twitch slightly in an effort to keep silent.

As if on cue, the spoon he had used to stir the mix toppled off the countertop and splattered mixture on the floor. We both took one look at it and then he burst into laughter alongside me.

"Only you-" I spluttered out between giggles, "Could screw up pancake mix!"

"Right, that's it!" he announced, quickly grabbing the dismal cake straight out of the pan and stalking towards me.

"No way in hell am I eating that," I told him, crossing my arms over my chest, sobering up immediately at the jokingly menacing expression his face wore.

"Oh aren't you?" he asked, grinning wickedly.

I took that as my cue to start running and made a mad dash for the living room. I had barely touched the carpet and suddenly I was falling to the ground, tackled onto the floor by Cameron. I was instantly reminded of the first morning I knew him, when Jacob had walked in and phased, thinking Cameron was hurting me.

I tried to jerk away from him, not wanting him to allow him to put the pancake in my mouth, but he was stronger and faster than I was and I quickly found myself pinned beneath him. I felt my hands pinned down and the weight of his body on mine prevented me from any escape.

"Open up," he commanded, smirking as he held the pancake in the air above my face. I took one look at it and firmly shut my mouth in defiance. I shook my head vehemently and he sighed from above me, lowering the pancake for a moment.

"Well, it seems I'll have to find a way to get you to…" he trailed off with a deadpan face and I squirmed uneasily as I saw the mischievous fire rekindle in his eyes. Before I realised what was happening, his serious mask broke and he grinned. My breath quickened as I absorbed the change in his expression. He moved so fast I didn't have time to react, reaching for my stomach, tickling me in one of my most sensitive spots. I giggled helplessly, trying to squirm away from his quick fingers but he held me down, laughing along with me.

He changed his tactics often, trying all the usual, sensitive ticklish spots. He finally found a winner; the indent in my shoulder. He had me in stitches, literally on the verge of wetting myself, before he finally pulled away from what he was doing to look me in the eyes.

"You gonna' open that pretty little mouth of yours now?" he inquired. I bit my lip and he ran his hand once more over my stomach, causing impossibly more giggles to burst out of me.

"Okay, okay! I'll eat the cursed pancake," I gave in, opening my mouth and watching as he smirked triumphantly. He pulled the small cake into pieces that would be manageable for me to swallow from the position I was in. The first one he dropped landed on my tongue and, hesitantly, I closed my mouth and chewed.

It actually tasted pretty good. Not that I was going to tell him so. I let him feed me the other pieces, my face thoughtful. I wasn't sure where he'd gone wrong in the recipe but it can't have been too much of a slip up for them to end up tasting like that.

"Verdict?" he asked after a few seconds and I looked up to his form hovering over me. His usually ice coloured eyes had darkened to a steely metallic colour and I could see the rise and fall of his chest was quicker than usual. It took my virginal, innocent mind a few seconds to realise why that might be. I re-evaluated his posture on top of me and felt my thoughts take a darker turn. I gulped and it was loud in the sudden electric silence that filled the room.

And then his weight was gone from above me and he was on his feet by the archway leading to the kitchen.

"I uh… Left the stove on," he mumbled over his shoulder as he walked away. I sat up slowly, noticing only then how much my own heartbeat had accelerated, how quick my breathing sounded in my own ears. I brushed my hair away from my face and felt the warmth of my cheeks beneath my palms. A delighted flush filled my face and I longed for it to leave my expression before he returned in case he thought I was embarrassed. No, I wasn't _embarrassed_. Not at all.

I was most overwhelmed to find, that after seven years, I'd never once wanted anyone in _that way._ I couldn't deny that that was exactly what I was feeling now. My body ached for his touch in places that I once would have blushed to think of anyone seeing.

_You want to sleep with him_! my inner voice accused. I felt my cheeks warm further when he walked into the room and looked curiously at me still sitting on the floor. I felt like all he had to do was to look at my expression to know what I was thinking.

"So, pancakes. What was wrong with them?" His words brought me back to reality somewhat.

"Not very much. I'll help you fix them," I offered, rising quickly to my feet and brushing imaginary dirt from my legs to avoid having to look at him. Things weren't awkward between us now, as such, but there was a certain tension in the air. _Sexual tension, _the voice advised wisely.

He followed me into the kitchen and 'oohd' and 'ahhd' when I taught him how to use the electric mixer properly.

"My Mom taught me her special trick. You put the maple syrup _in _the mixture, not on the actual pancakes," I explained, remembering fondly the way my mother had explained to me how it made the mix thicker and sweeter, also eliminating the need for another step later. She was nothing if not practical.

I dipped my finger in the mix once I was confident it had all the proper ingredients in it but before I could take it to my mouth to taste it, Cameron beat me to it. His lips wrapped around my finger and I shivered as I felt his tongue against my skin for the first time. I liked it, I wanted more of it. But how to tell him…?

"Delicious," he breathed, his eyes measuring my reaction to what he'd just done.

"Mmm," I replied, dipping my own finger in the mix for a taste and trying to let him know with my eyes that it was more than okay with what he'd done.

"I. Um. Yeah. Want to watch a DVD?" he asked suddenly as his face turned pale and his hands gripped at the sides of the counter fiercely.

"Sure, what do you want to watch? There's this great romantic comedy I heard abou-" I began but he cut me off.

"You promised a while ago that you would watch _To Kill a Mocking Bird _with me, remember?" he interjected suddenly.

"Okay, sure, if you want," I shrugged but felt more than puzzled by his decision.

**Cameron POV**

Holy fuck.

I watched as she licked the pancake mixture of her finger and felt my knees give out slightly under me. Why was everything she did so damn arousing? I quickly suggested we watch a movie, _any_thing that would distract me from her body before the urges inside me burst forth.

As soon as the words 'romantic comedy' came out of her mouth I spoke over the top of her, because if I watched anything with even a hint of romance in it, I would do something stupid, and the last thing I wanted was to hurt her in any way.

I'm not sure what possessed me to suggest watching _To Kill A Mocking Bird_, but I knew even the boring, historical film would be better than a romance.

We sat down and ate our pancakes. They tasted great but I was guessing that that was only because Nessie had felt the need to fix them for me. It was slightly weird that we were eating pancakes for lunch, but then again, what _wasn't _weird about today?

After we'd eaten our pancakes we entered the living room. I smiled subconsciously at the patch of carpet where I'd had her pinned beneath me only minutes ago. The self control it had taken to get off her and excuse myself was amazing. I blinked at sat down at one end of the couch, watched her move around the room, putting the DVD in and switching off the lights. She settled to the other end of the couch and curled her long legs beneath her, glancing shyly sideways at me as the opening credits began.

The darkness in the room intensified the electricity tingle and spark between us and I found myself torn between joy and distress that she'd turned the lights off. I glanced up at her at least six times before the opening credits were over and had twice caught her staring at me. I grimaced.

Perhaps a movie wasn't the best idea. The darkness of the room seemed to intensify the longing I had for her rather than give me a chance to calm down as I had hope. I struggled to control myself but by the time ten minutes had passed, my hand had reached for hers and was holding it gently on the seat that separated us.

Within another ten, she somehow ended up curled beside me, one of my arms draped around her shoulders.

_Wasn't she sitting at the other end of the couch?!_ I started to panic. If she came any closer…

I gulped as, half an hour in, her hand started tracing tiny swirl patterns across my palm and along my wrists.

By the time Tom Robinson was convicted and Scout Finch had learned what prejudice was, the fingers of one of my hands were trailing softly through her hair.

Precisely one hour into the movie I gave up, gave up trying not to notice her beside me. I turned so I was facing her and gently pulled her closer to me. She smiled almost victoriously and let me kiss along her neck and up to her mouth. She pulled away for a second, stretching up and moving so that she was sitting completely on top of me. I clenched my eyes shut for a second to gain control and then I let her pull herself closer again.

One hour and twenty four seconds into the movie, we became probably the first couple able to make out on a couch, with the sounds of once of literature's greatest screenplays running in the background.

**So basically…. Lemons ahoy? I'm not too sure yet… I'm thinking I'll leave it to the readers to determine what they want. I have no idea how to set up polls so I'm going to get you to review what you want to me, or PM if you're embarrassed :P There WILL be lemon, but I don't want to over or underwhelm anyone, so I'm leaving it to you to determine how full on it will be. There are 3 options…**

**Full on, epic graphic, descriptive as hell, LEMON!**

**Vague, non descriptive but still 'tingly'**

**Fade to black**

**If no one replies to this, I'm thinking I'm going to go for b) and MAYYYBE if you're nice and want full-on lemon I might just happen to write an outtake for you… ;)**

**On a non-sexual note… Was the whole Carolina-is-a-descendant-of-Royce thing too much? I thought I needed a tie in there… I wonder what Rose will do when she finds out?**

**Reviews?**


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Twilight, but I bought some glow in the dark socks the other day. Pretty sure that's just as good, right? 

This one goes out to my new pal **bittenbadly**. She randomly messaged me one day and we got to talking. People- don't be afraid to do this. I love chatting with randoms, about Twilight, life, whatever :P 

This took way longer than expected… shit going on in my life, Australian equivalent of junior prom, school restarting and writer's block- all at the exact same time! :S Sorry folks! This story is like my child, and by not updating, I am locking my child in a cupboard and feeding it cardboard… Bad analogy… :S

Read now :D

-Chapter 14-

**Renesmee POV**

I blushed as the closing credits of _To Kill A Mocking Bird_ appeared on the screen before me. Cameron had just excused himself to use the bathroom and I was sitting, face flushed, on the couch. I curled up into the warmth of the cushion where our body heat remained and shut my eyes contentedly, sighing deeply. There was perfect silence for a few moments before my stomach rumbled softly. I laughed, sitting up. The pancakes felt hours ago and it was getting dark outside- time for dinner.

I got up and stretched my arms over my head as I headed towards the kitchen. I hummed under my breath as I opened the refrigerator, briefly scanning the contents to see what I could make out of them. There was some tomatoes and I knew there was mince in the freezer. I did a quick check for onions and then decided to make lasagne. I took the vegetables and got out a cutting board and knife and was just about to make the first cut into a tomato when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I didn't jump that time, recognising his touch immediately.

"What are you making?" Cameron asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind and pulling me gently against him.

"I was thinking lasagne?" I said, slicing into the tomato.

"Mmm," he murmured, and I felt his lips against the side of my neck. I shivered slightly and jumped when the knife slipped through my fingers, clattering onto the countertop noisily. He chuckled and picked it up for me, laying it down on the cutting board again.

"Don't distract me, you," I scolded him jokingly, turning to face him.

"Is that what you _really _want?" he teased, running his hands down my arms and back up again.

"If you want dinner, then yes," I told him, smiling.

"Fine. I'd offer to help but…" he trailed off and we both laughed.

"That's probably best. You sit there," I told him, pointing to the kitchen stool on the other side of the counter to where I was working. He obliged, sitting down in the stool and drawing it close to the bench. He watched with seeming interest as I sliced the onion and tomatoes, mixing them with crushed garlic in a frying pan. My eyes didn't water from the onions, a side effect of the venom that accompanied the blood in my veins. I added the defrosted mince and then mixed some red wine into the sauce before leaving it all to simmer on the stove whilst I prepared the pastry.

"You're really good at that, you know," Cameron spoke up unexpectedly as I finished layering the pan with pastry and cheese.

"It's not hard." I smiled so he knew I was joking.

"You're talking to _me _remember? The pancake fail guy," he smirked as I burst into giggles at his label.

"True," I said, smiling at his ineptitude.

It didn't take long for me to finish making the lasagne, layering it all properly and placing it into the oven to cook. Soon, the smell of herbs and tomatoes was wafting tantalisingly around the kitchen and I breathed in deeply, utterly content. Cameron set the table whilst the lasagne cooked, and we said little to nothing. There was a peaceful feeling settled over us, a sense of calm after a very stressful 24 hours. So much had happened, I thought, as I glanced at the clock to find it was going on eight o'clock. That time yesterday, I had been at Sasha's house, still getting ready. I'd been oblivious to what would happen…

I hadn't been able to remember much that morning, but as the day progressed my memory had grown clearer. The vile words whispered in my ear, the hot fingers dragging along my flesh…

I shuddered involuntarily, a small whimper escaping my mouth as I realised I'd allowed myself to think about it, to re-immerse my thoughts in what I'd promised myself I would forget. Cameron was standing in front of me, a look of pure concern on his face, before I could blink.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking my hand and smoothing circles onto my palm with his thumb.

"I… yes. I just lost it for a moment there. I'm fine," I said, wishing desperately that I was.

"Ness… You're not fine. That's not the first time I've seen you do that today. Are you sure you don't want to talk abou-"

"Yes. I mean no. I- I don't want to talk about it. If I don't think about it, it'll go away," I stammered, willing the words to be true. He sighed deeply, looking me in the eyes with his deep, penetrating stare.

"As long as you know I'm here for you if you need me. Promise me you'll talk to me if you feel you need to," he requested, placing a hand against my cheek in a wordless gesture of comfort. I smiled, touched that he cared so much. My insecurities from earlier flashed through my mind again. Was it at all possible he loved me back? Was there any hope at all for a future with him?

I sighed as I nodded, letting him know that I trusted him, that I would go to him if I needed help.

The oven timer went off then and he released my hand so I could go and shut it off. I served up the lasagne onto our plates and we carried them over to the table where we usually sat. This time, however, we both paused near the seats. Typically, we sat opposite each other, but given what had transpired between us today… I looked up at him, hesitating between sitting in my usual seat or taking the one next to him. He shrugged, sitting in his usual seat and nodding towards the seat next to him. I sat down next to him and was surprised when he took my hand again between our chairs.

I looked sideways at him and he grinned back. A few seconds passed and then he grinned, gently pulling his hand slightly away.

"Changed my mind. I need that back if I'm gonna' eat," he winked, reclaiming his fork with his now-free hand. I smiled with him and we both started eating our dinner in the comfortable silence that only good food can bring.

***

"Want me to come and tuck you in?" Cameron offered, bringing our joined hands to his lips and kissing the back of my hand sweetly. We stood just outside my doorway, and even though he would be sleeping only a few doors down from me, I still didn't want to part with him. It was ludicrous to be saying 'goodnight' to him, him being in the same house and all, but yet there we were.

I sighed. As tempting as being 'tucked in' sounded, I needed to be alone with my thoughts. There was no way I could think objectively about him or decide what to do next if he was distracting me as he surely would. His kisses left me bewildered and breathless and desperate for more- not exactly making for the best objective thought patterns.

"Mmmm, raincheck?" I murmured leaning my head against his shoulder.

"Of course, if that's what you want," he replied, pressing his lips to my hair. _But it's _not _what I want! _I longed to tell him. I didn't want him to leave my side, and truly, if I let myself do what I wanted instead of walking the rational, slow and steady path, he would be sleeping right beside me as he had done last night.

"Goodnight, Renesmee," he whispered, leaning in to kiss me farewell. His lips pressed ever-so-gently against my own, the taste that was uniquely _him _washing over my senses all over again. The gentle caress of his lips against mine felt so natural, so perfect. It was almost impossible to believe that, before today, I'd only dreamt of being kissed by him. In my mind, it had been a childish fantasy, an impossibility. I smiled as I pulled away at the same time as he did, completely overcome by my good luck.

"Goodnight, Cameron," I replied, clinging to his hand strongly for a second before letting him go. He walked slowly to his room and turned to face me before closing it. He winked just once before shutting the door and I smiled as I pushed my own door shut behind me.

I dressed for bed mechanically, mentally going over my day, highlighting the moments I would try and remember forever. Our first kiss had to rank in the top five moments of my entire life. I smiled as I slid into bed, recalling the experience and trying desperately to commit it to memory.

I shut my eyes and tried to let myself relax. Just then, I felt how tired I was. I yawned once, stretching my arm out to switch off my bedside light. I would think about it all tomorrow, when I was in a better frame of mind. A cold breeze blew in through my open window and I curled deeper into my blankets, feeling the chill resonate deep within me.

**Cameron POV**

I smiled as I shut my door behind me. The day had ended well, I thought, considering everything that had gone wrong. I was incredibly worried about her emotional well being after the night before, but she'd seemed almost panicked by the prospect of talking about it. I didn't want to push her but part of me feared what would happen if she didn't address her obvious issues.

I sighed, accepting that there wasn't much I could do to help until she would let me. I quickly pulled my shirt over my head, tossing it to the ground next to the bed as I lay down on top of my sheets. I didn't think I'd be able to fall asleep for quite some time, my thoughts going a thousand miles a minute.

How would I protect Renesmee, Carolina _and _the Cullens from the Volturi?

Should I tell her I loved her?

Would she say it back?

I groaned, staring at the ceiling above me as if it would yield the answers I sought if I just looked hard enough. Could I do it? Could I put myself out there, leave myself at her mercy? But wasn't that what love was about? Making that blind leap of faith and relying on the other person to stop you from falling? There was no telling what she thought of me, what her reaction would be if I said those three little words to her.

Unless….

I sat up quickly, silently getting to my feet and moving to my door. I opened it just a crack and listened intently for a sound. I could just faintly hear deep, even breathing coming from her room. Could I?

Her unguarded dreams were so close. I could be silent, I could know what she was thinking and she would be none the wiser. I let the idea play itself out in my head. Suppose she caught me, then what? I could imagine her anger, the way her eyes would flash with irritation if she caught me spying on her thoughts, her dreams.

_No_.

I couldn't do it. With a rueful smile, I let my feet take me back to bed. I would not degrade her like that, invade her privacy like that. It wasn't the fear of being caught that sent me back to my pillow, it was respect for her. I would not lower myself to that.

I settled myself back into the bed and felt my eyes droop. I had not realised how tired I was. Just as I floated at the fringes of sleep, a noise shattered the silence. I could hear a quiet scream coming from Renesmee's room.

I got out of bed and sprinted down the corridor, shoving her door roughly out of my way. She was lying in her bed, her feet twisted in the sheets, her hair sprawled around her head in disarray. Her eyes were shut and I saw her crying and shaking. I couldn't watch her in such pain like that without doing something, so, unthinkingly, I sat on the bed by her side and took her hand in mine. She screamed again, yanking her hand away from me and curling into a ball, her eyes still squeezed tightly shut.

"Renesmee? It's me, Cameron. Are you alright?" I asked, at a loss of how I was supposed to help her. She was having a nightmare, that much was clear. I also had a very good idea of what it would likely be about. If I was right- and something told me I was- then she would not want me touching her right then. If her dreams taunted her with memories of men doing bad things to her, then I would not reinforce that fear if I could avoid it.

A few seconds later she sat up so quickly I nearly fell backwards in surprise.

"Are you alright?" I asked, so relieved that she was awake.

"I'm… I'm…" She didn't finish her sentence, slumping forward suddenly so that her head rested on her knees. I moved slowly, carefully, so as not to alarm her further.

"Nessie? Can I hug you?" I asked timidly, anticipating a 'no'. She looked up immediately but I couldn't decipher her expression. A second passed before she reached her arms out towards me. I pulled her gently into me, resting her head securely against my shoulder and letting her know that I was there for her, just as I promised I would be.

It was simple to forget that she was nearly as strong as me, sometimes. That's why I was completely off guard when she used her unnatural strength to pull me down onto the bed. She pushed me gently to the side so I was lying next to her, much as I had last night.

"Please stay with me. I don't want to talk about it but I… I want you here with me, p-please?" she stammered the last part, her face turning uncertain as I didn't respond to her words.

"Of course," I reassured her, lying cautiously on my side, facing her. There was almost complete silence for a few minutes as we just lay on her bed, staring at each other. The only sound was her still escalated heartbeat.

"Cameron?" she whispered suddenly, breaking the silence with a timid voice.

"Yes?"

"Can I come closer?" she asked, her face flushing the adorable red color I was so fond of.

"Anything for you," I returned, smiling as I drew her into my arms. A few seconds passed before we were positioned in much the same arrangement as the night before. I smiled, secretly glad that she had been the one to suggest it. My arms had been itching to hold her but I hadn't known if it would be appropriate.

"Would it be weird if we put the blanket over us?" Nessie asked after a short moment. I knew exactly what she meant by 'weird' and had to think it over for a few seconds. Last night had been a pure accident that we'd ended up in bed together. But tonight, I was knowingly agreeing to sleep next to her. After the change in our relationship today I wasn't sure that I could trust myself with that. I knew how quickly my thoughts could take less than innocent paths and I doubted my ability to keep my hands to myself if we had a blanket over the top of us.

But, because I'm such a masochist and couldn't find it in myself to deny her anything, I quickly reached down and tugged the blanket over us.

"I'll try and behave," I whispered in her ear. She shivered suddenly and I worried for a moment that I'd frightened her.

"Good boys are no fun," she whispered back, turning her head around to smile wickedly at me. I managed to keep my breathing normal but inside my thoughts were in a frenzy. Why did she have to say that, why?! I kissed her neck softly to abate some of the longing I was feeling for her. It wasn't enough but it was as far as I was willing to push my control that night.

"Sleep now, you dangerous girl," I told her, pulling back to rest my head against the pillow.

"Goodnight, Cameron," she replied, yawning once before curling closer to me. I sighed happily once before shutting my own eyes, drifting slowly into sleep, once more, completely at ease.

***

**Renesmee POV**

"God you're comfortable," I said, making no move to sit up from where I was.

"I could say the same about you," Cameron replied, his voice still thick with sleep. I looked up from where I was comfortably resting my head on his chest and saw he was smiling down at me. I shut my eyes in contentment and burrowed further into the warmth that was his body. His hands absently trailed through my hair and I glanced around my room, watching as the dappled sunshine filtered lazily through my open window.

"Any more nightmares last night?" Cameron asked, and his words were a slight dampener to my mood.

"None since you came and woke me up. Thank you," I whispered. The remnants of the horrific dream felt like they were etched on the back of my eyelids, but I didn't want to go crying to Cameron every time something went wrong. I could be strong, and I would be. I wasn't exactly regretting that I'd forced him to sleep in my bed last night, but I felt weak to be admitting I needed him.

"You're welcome. I told you that I would be here if you needed me and I meant it," he promised, tightening his hold on me slightly.

"I'm so glad it's Sunday. I don't feel like school today," I yawned.

"I know exactly what you mean. Growing up I never went to school but now, after a month of it, I feel like I might just shoot myself in the foot if I have to sit through another assembly."

We both laughed and talked about nothing in particular for a few minutes.

"I suppose we should probably get up now," I sighed after a few moments of silence.

"Probably," Cameron replied, seemingly as reluctant as I was to pop our bubble of happiness and warmth. A quick kiss on the cheek and he was gone, off to shower and dress for the day the same way I was about to. I quickly pulled my blankets up and straightened my pillows before entering my bathroom to take a shower.

Ten minutes later, I emerged from the small room, wrapped in a towel and wondering what I would wear that day. I opened my closet door and was fingering the light blue material of one of my favourite blouses when, suddenly, an unfamiliar voice spoke from directly behind me.

"I think red is more your color," came the male voice in a low and almost seductive tone.

I whirled silently to face the stranger and was met by an unexpected site. Tall and lean, the midnight black of his hair gleaming darkly in the sun, was another half vampire. His eyes were a light hazel colour and my sharp sight caught flecks of green and gold around the edges of his irises. He was wearing all black; jeans and a button down shirt rolled up to the elbows.

"Who are you?" I whispered, unexpected fear gripping me as the mere sight of him caused horrible memories to resurface.

He didn't answer my question though, merely looking at me with curious eyes and a smirk on his face. I froze, not liking the predatory look in his eye. It was one I recognized, and after the events of Friday night, now feared.

There was a blur of motion and then Cameron's figure came into focus, blocking my view of the intruder. I looked in panic at the protective stance he took in front of me. A pair of shorts looked hastily pulled in place and his hair was wet. I could distinctly smell soap on him; clearly, he'd jumped out of the shower and come running when he heard the stranger's voice.

"Jack? What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Cameron's voice suddenly barked, breaking the tense silence.

Wait… Cameron knew him? I relaxed slightly, sighing almost imperceptibly.

"Good to see you, too, brother. I see you've been busy," the stranger, apparently named Jack, said coolly.

Wait, brothers?

I was confused. I almost opened my mouth to ask Cameron to clarify but silenced myself when I heard a low growl slip out of his mouth. I tensed again, prepared to help Cameron fight if we needed to. Even though the adrenaline and terror still flowed through my system, some higher reasoning inside me knew that I had to stop Cameron from being hurt. And from the reactionary growl that came out of Jack's mouth, I immediately knew that things could turn ugly at any second.

I stepped forward slightly, trying to step around Cameron so I could face our enemy head on, when suddenly Cameron's restraining arm pushed me back into place behind him.

"Go get dressed Renesmee," Cameron practically ordered through his clenched teeth. I frowned but quickly slipped sideways into the bathroom. I shut and locked the door behind me and sank onto the rim of the bathtub, strangely fatigued. I had no idea who Jack was or how he knew Cameron, but it was clear from the little I'd seen that they didn't exactly get on great. I listened intently to hear what they were saying but it seemed they were locked in some sort of a silent standoff. That thought had me on my feet again quickly. If it did turn into a fight, I needed to be able to help Cameron, no matter how afraid I was of the strange man.

I looked around me quickly and then realised I had no clothes in the bathroom with me. That was why I had been in my room in the towel in the first place. I frowned and that's when a piece of denim caught my eye. I quickly yanked it up to me and then almost swore aloud when I recognized it.

It was the hooker jeans from Friday night's party.

The clothes I now detested still lay bundled in the corner, waiting for me to one day be able to touch them again. I grimaced before bending down and picking up the other clothes. I had no other choice really, unless I wanted to help Cameron do battle in a towel… No way was that happening, so- hooker clothes it was.

A minute later I was dressed, and with one last grimace at my reflection, I unlocked the door and stepped out into my bedroom. Neither of them had moved and I watched as both of their gazes turned to me simultaneously. Cameron cringed and I saw Jack's eyes rake up and down my body. I flushed red and went to stand by Cameron's side.

"I don't believe I've had the chance to introduce myself. Jack Brookes," the other male said from across the room, taking a few steps forward and extending his hand to me. I looked up at Cameron uncertainly and he shook his head.

"Oh come on, I wouldn't hurt the girl," Jack complained, coming a few steps more towards us. I cringed involuntarily, but slowly extended my hand into the air between us. Jack closed the distance and gripped my hand in his, shaking it a few times, that smirk still etched on his face.

"Renesmee," I introduced myself cautiously. Cameron glared at our joined hands but didn't try to pull me back. Jack released my hand and I let it fall back to my side, strangely relieved.

"So, I don't suppose I could impose on you for some breakfast, could I?" Jack asked.

"Of course," I said agreeably, not wanting this to turn into a fight if it didn't have to.

"No way in Hell," Cameron's words, spoken over the top of mine, extinguished any hopes I had of this ending peacefully.

Jack looked at me when he spoke. "Clearly Cameron isn't happy to see me; it's been a while. But I would really appreciate something to _eat_, maybe some coffee?" His tone was hopeful but with a trace of darkness under it. I didn't really understand why he emphasised the word 'eat', but didn't think it was really wise to question it right then. I met his hazel eyes and took a moment to really look at him, taking in his slightly roughed up appearance. There were dark circles under his eyes that made it look like he hadn't slept in at least a few days, and his clothes had tears around the edges. He reminded me of one of the many nomadic vampires the Cullens had taken in over the years, offering them shelter and fresh clothes.

Pity had me nodding in agreement and turning to lead Jack down through the house to the kitchen. He unnerved me, but that was no reason to be impolite.

I think he made to follow me but Cameron obviously blocked his path.

"_Let's just give him some food and then maybe he'll leave us alone. Please. I don't want you to fight him_," I spoke to Cameron telepathically, begging him to just agree with me. I waited a few seconds and then heard him sigh in submission.

"I don't know what the Hell you think you're playing at, but I swear to God if you lay a hand on her…." Cameron left his threat unfinished and I shivered slightly as I descended the stairs. He was always so gentle and fun with me; it was surprising to realise he could be dangerous if he so chose. I didn't know what Jack had done to anger him, but I knew that with Cameron's strength and fire wielding ability, the other half vampire probably didn't stand much of a chance if it came to a fight.

I entered the kitchen and went to the fridge, opening the door to see what there was to offer our unexpected guest.

"Anything in particular you want?" I requested, turning to face Jack as he took a seat at one of the counter stools. Cameron leaned against the table nearby, a scowl marring his perfect features.

"Honey, I'm hungry enough I would eat a pair of socks if they came my way," I almost smiled and he winked back at me.

"Fruit Loops?" I offered, opening the cupboard to display the colorful box.

"Sure, why not?" Jack said in a sardonic voice, glancing sideways at Cameron and grinning for some reason. I pursed my lips as I poured him a bowl of loops and got out the milk so he could add it himself. I didn't know who he was or what he was doing here, but I just wanted him to eat his breakfast and get the Hell out of here.

"Nice place you have here. Do you live here, just the two of you?" Jack asked in between mouthfuls, looking between us quizzically.

"We travel here and there, but yes, sometimes we stay in this place," Cameron answered before I could. I bit my tongue at the contradiction I nearly voiced when he threw a sharp, but still subtle, look in my direction. I understood that look as well as I would have if he had spoken to me out loud: _Listen to what I am saying and play along, please_.

Jack simply nodded and we remained in silence, except for the sounds of him eating his breakfast. When he was done, he pushed his bowl across the counter to me, looking at me expectantly. I took the bowl and spoon, rinsed them and then bent to put them in the dishwasher. It was awfully presumptuous to assume I would clean up his meal for him, but I swallowed any words I might have said, anxious for him to just leave us alone.

"Jack, if you'll excuse us, Renesmee and I were just going to take a walk," Cameron announced, walking over to me and putting a possessive arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his side, surprisingly grateful for his suggestion.

"Walk? When you've got a Reventon in the driveway? You've done well, Cameron," Jack murmured appreciatively.

"It's my car," I spoke up unthinkingly.

"A beautiful girl who's into cars? Seems like you hit the jackpot, bro," Jack laughed, eyeing me with that same look from before. I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling the need to cover up from his stare.

"Indeed I have," Cameron actually smiled at me and I managed a small smile in return, pleased he was somewhat calmer.

"Come on, flattery will get you nowhere," I laughed half heartedly, taking Cameron's hand and pulling him towards the front door. "Help yourself to any food in the kitchen. The living room is just through there. You can watch the TV if you get bored," I called over my shoulder before shutting the door.

Neither of us spoke as we started to run in the same direction as the day before. There was no joking and laughter today. We ran a few feet apart, not really looking at one another, for almost ten minutes before Cameron suddenly stopped.

"This is far enough."

"And he hasn't followed?" I half whispered, just in case he had.

"No, I didn't hear anything," Cameron assured me, sighing heavily before leaning against a tree. I mimicked him, choosing a tall, wide oak opposite his tree to lean against.

"Who is he, and what is he doing here?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"I can answer the first, but as for the second… Well, I'm curious about that myself." The way he said curious, he made it sound like a dirty word.

"He called you 'brother'? I don't understand-"

"Nessie? You remember how I told you about..." he sighed deeply once before continuing. "That coven I used to be in? Full of other half vampires?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Oh," I exclaimed, relieved when it finally slid into place how Cameron and Jack knew each other. "So, he was what, in charge of them?" I asked.

"Hardly. Jack was my… apprentice," he finished his sentence bitterly, looking at the ground, frowning at some memory I couldn't see.

"Oh…" I said lamely.

"Zacharias was the leader. He put me in charge of looking after Jack when he first joined us. It was my job to train him how to avoid humans, how to obtain food without getting caught and the like. But… Jack was never happy with the human food the coven was sometimes forced to eat. Me, I never drank human blood, but I was the outlier, the exception, not the rule. That's the reason Zack put me in charge of the human 'liaison'. I was good at fitting in with them," Cameron explained, still frowning at the dirt.

"So then why did you stay with them if you weren't eating what they were, if you were the outsider?" I wondered aloud.

"Because I had no one else. Zack found me after I reached full growth and he took me under his wing, showed me the ropes, really. I already told you how they taught me to fear the Volturi. Sometimes the others weren't very good at finding humans to… you know," he looked up at me, looking almost ashamed of himself. I understood why he might feel that way, for being a part of a gang of vampires that slaughtered humans. But he hadn't helped them kill them. Surely travelling with a band of murderous vampires, but not being one of them yourself, made it okay?

I could tell from looking at his expression that he obviously didn't think it was okay, that he thought he was far from innocent.

I frowned, desperately wanting to go to him, but knowing I needed to let him finish his story.

"So Jack was your apprentice. Then what happened?" I asked gently.

"Then... I managed to keep him in order for about a year, but then one day, he went too far. We were upstate at the time and Jack, me and one of the other new kids, Jamie, had been sent to do recon, to see if there were humans in the area. We came across this Mom, she had two little babies with her. Jack hadn't eaten in a few days, but that was no excuse for how he acted that day…."

My stomach plummeted at the knowledge of what I knew must have come next.

"I tried to stop him, to call him off, but… He wouldn't listen and so he attacked and ended those three human's lives. I couldn't do a thing to stop it. Sometimes, when I shut my eyes, I can still hear her screaming, 'Take me, please don't hurt my children'…

"But that's not the worst part of what Jack did…" Cameron continued after a moment of heavy silence. "Jamie, the other one with us at the time, he was only three or four years old, still growing. He was kind of like me. He _did_ drink blood, but at least he seemed to have some misgivings about it. He took it really hard, what Jack did, really hard. I think he might have known that family that Jack murdered. Later that night, when almost everyone had gone to sleep, Jamie tried to confront Jack about what he'd done, tried to make him see why he shouldn't have killed them and…" Cameron trailed off again, clenching his eyes shut tight, as if he could somehow force the memory to go away if he did so.

"So he… He- Killed him?" I stammered, but was cut off.

"Yes… and he tasted delicious.," came a dark whisper from behind me. I gasped and a scream nearly escaped me but I managed to stop it in time. I could feel Jack right behind me, his body was almost touching mine. My heart thudded loudly and I knew that all of us could hear it. Cameron had opened his eyes and was glaring at Jack, something close to fear in his eyes.

"Cameron, you know what they say about gossiping…" Jack trailed off, and I felt him lay a hand against my bare arm. I shivered and it didn't go unnoticed. Jack chuckled menacingly under his breath and took his hand away from me.

"Are you afraid, girl?" he asked quietly and I could feel his heavy breathing against my neck.

I couldn't answer him, I'd frozen up and couldn't make my lips move to form words. Nor could I make my legs respond to the desperate urges I had to push myself away from him. A horrible feeling of déjà vu came over me. This was exactly like Friday night… I'd been unable to protect myself then, and I was unable to protect myself now. I clenched my eyes shut, cringing in the silence.

"Are you afraid of me!?" Jack's voice demanded again. Before I realised I had moved I had turned to face him. I took a deep breath and what happened next I think surprised both of us…

**Cameron POV**

I watched in frozen horror as Jack practically shouted in Renesmee's ear. The second he'd appeared behind her everything in me had started protesting. I had to forcibly restrain myself from throwing myself at him and punching the crap out of him.

But I'd managed to stop myself for two reasons.

The first, I was worried that in my anger, I would miss and Renesmee would somehow be hurt. The very thought of that made me sick.

And the second was because I remembered all too clearly what had happened the last time I had seen Jack face off against another half vampire. The sickening image of walking in on Jack draining Jamie's lifeless body of blood popped into my consciousness again and suddenly it was all I could see.

Every fibre of my being wanted nothing more than to jump in between them and pry Renesmee's soft, vulnerable body away from the monster that was Jack, but because I knew he was fast, I didn't move. He was a few years younger than me, but still older than Renesmee. He was more than capable of snapping her neck, more than capable of doing it before I could cover half of the distance between myself and them.

Renesmee was so gentle and even if she wasn't a human like Carolina, she almost felt that way to me. So pure and innocent, her youth….

That's why I did nothing more than stare as she whirled quickly and popped Jack square in the jaw. Her fist came into contact with his face with a loud crunching sound and I knew instantly that she'd cracked his jaw- at the very least. I knew it would only take him an hour or two to heal, but the fact that she'd lashed out at him, stuck up for herself like that…

"Don't fucking touch me," she growled menacingly at his doubled over form. Without another word she turned and walked slowly and calmly toward me, reaching out and taking my numb hand as she did so. I couldn't take my eyes off her as she frowned at the ground in front of her. She bit her lip, her brow creasing further, as if she was figuring out something complicated.

Finally, she looked up at me, something close to incredulity on her features. She almost seemed worried I would reprimand her for what she'd done.

I pulled her to me so quickly she only had time for a quick gasp before I was covering her mouth with mine. My timing couldn't have been worse, really, but some side of me I always repressed around her showed itself, bringing with it the urges and desires my body craved. I was too stunned to do anything to stop myself from acting on them. Watching her let go of her fear, her restraint, like that had been one of the sexiest goddamn things I'd ever seen.

And I'd finally heard her curse. The word 'fuck' never sounded so good as when it fell from her lips in the heat of the moment.

I smashed my lips down on hers, forcefully backing her towards the tree and pushing her almost roughly against it. I held back a growl as I forced my tongue between her parted lips, tasting her properly for the first time. So sweet, like jasmine and sweet honey.

She froze for a second and in that small space of time, I was able to quickly revaluate my surroundings. I stepped backwards immediately, shame filling me as I realised what I'd just done. I felt a wave of guilt crash down upon me as I recognized what had just happened. I'd taken away her choice in the matter, I'd proven to both of us that I was out of control.

I looked up to meet her eyes and was surprised when I saw nothing even close to anger or disgust there. Her eyes were dark and fiery, the most seductive half smile on her lips. I groaned slightly and stepped closer again, this time wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her gently to me as we both rested against the tree.

"Wow… Just, wow…" she murmured.

I kissed her hair and whispered, "Sorry about that." She wasn't mad at me, in fact, she seemed almost glad, but I didn't feel right until I apologized. She was incredible like that- so easily able to make me forget everything else.

"Don't be sorry," she whispered alluringly in my ear.

Her simple words slowed everything down around me. The very center of the universe was the way her lips moved so close to mine. She had some kind of spell on me, she could make me think of nothing but her. Everything else was sideline when it came to the girl I loved. Every thought in my head turned immediately to my girl, even when….

Crap.

I growled angrily and turned back around, facing a smirking Jack. He leaned against the tree that Nessie had been leaning against earlier and mischief was alight in his eyes. He rubbed his jaw tenderly with his hand and I inwardly smiled.

"Oh get a room, you two," he called sardonically towards us.

"Nessie, sweetheart, go home. I think my 'good friend' Jack and I need to have a conversation," I stated.

"But Cameron," she began to protest and I turned swiftly to press my lips against hers for a short moment. Gently this time…

"Shhh, don't worry about a thing. We'll be back soon, I just need to speak to him in private for a minute," I reassured her as I pulled away a second later.

"Be careful," she whispered softly in my ear, soft enough that Jack wouldn't be able to hear it. I leaned down and rested my forehead against hers for a second, closing my eyes and clasping one of her hands in mine. It wasn't likely that Jack would be able to hurt me with my superior age and special ability, but I knew she meant what she said and I wouldn't laugh at her concerns. I was actually kind of touched that she cared enough to say the words she had.

Did she say them like she would to a friend, or did I mean something more to her? Again, the big question flashed through my head.

"Of course," I told her sincerely as I stood up straight again.

She took one more look at me and shot a glare at Jack over her shoulder before sprinting off in the direction of home.

I scowled and turned to face Jack, motioning for him to walk with me, further into the forest and away from the house.

"Why are you here?" I asked crisply, shoving my hands deep in my pockets as I strode forward.

"Next question," he replied, grinning at me rebelliously. I sighed and decided to play it his way to begin with, hoping the more agreeable I was, the more answers I would get out of him.

"Where's the rest of them?" I asked. He knew from my tone that I was talking about the rest of the coven. I was anxious that they could be nearby, anxious that they were anywhere close to Renesmee, but I knew Zack. I knew if he were here, he would come and see me directly and not send Jack in to do his dirty work. I had a certain amount of respect for my past coven leader; he was not one to bother with underhand trickery when there was the option of being blunt and getting what he wanted immediately.

"I came alone. I've actually been nomadic for about the past month or so now," Jack replied, not looking up from the ground as we continued walking.

There was silence between us a for a few minutes while I processed that.

To my knowledge, I was the first person that Zacharias ever allowed to leave his coven. For him to let Jack out of the brotherhood, too, was definitely out of character. Zack's loyalty oaths and words about commitment were still stuck in my head from when he'd first told them to me almost a decade ago. It wasn't possible that he'd so easily allowed Jack to detach.

"How did Zack let you leave?" I asked, feeling like I had slipped back into my mentoring role again.

"He didn't really have much of a choice in it. He was overruled," Jack answered, abruptly stopping and looking up at me. He seemed smug for some reason and I felt my feeling of unease grow as I processed his words.

"Overruled…. You must be mistaken, Zack was… He was in charge," I contradicted lamely, not wanting to hear what I was being told. Zack was reasonable, he was a strong and focused leader. To hear that someone else had taken over the coven of powerful half vampires was more than troubling.

"You're not the only one with _foreign_ connections…" he trailed off.

The Volturi.

Jack was with the Volturi.

And I'd just sent Renesmee off on her own…

"You…" was all I managed to say before he started nodding again. His smug grin widened when he noticed my reaction.

I gulped down my sudden terror for Renesmee, trying to hide my eyes from him while I tried to process what he was telling me.

"Are they here now? I was told I had a week?" I half whispered, terrified that they'd lied and were here early. I wasn't ready….

"No, I was just ordered here to evaluate your progress. And from what I saw, you're doing far better than they thought," he smiled arrogantly at me.

If he was telling the truth, and some part of me knew he was, that meant that he would be telling Aro everything he had seen of mine and Renesmee's relationship. The kiss earlier… Oh God, I'd ruined everything.

"Pretty sweet deal you've got here. Get to bed a pretty girl while you earn favour with the Volturi," Jack commented with an almost rueful smile. He looked like he wished to be in my place. I laughed harshly once while I considered his words, grateful for the first time that it had been me assigned to hurt Renesmee and not someone else, someone like Jack.

He appeared to be under the impression I was seducing Renesmee during my time here, trying to get her into bed as an added 'bonus' while I double crossed her. The idea of it made my chest tighten, the way any thought of hurting her always did.

But Jack had a point.

Well, not a point as such, but he had given me an idea.

He knew that I had a physical relationship with Renesmee from my idiotic moment earlier against the tree. But he didn't know how deep my feelings were for her, he wasn't aware how completely in love with her I was. If he, or the Volturi, knew that, I knew I wouldn't survive long enough to rescue Carolina or Renesmee.

So it was almost simple, the solution.

Until Jack left, I would have to pretend I was only interested in getting Renesmee into bed.

That wouldn't be difficult on the physical level, her body already drove me wild. But emotionally, I was already in pain at the idea of having to lie to her again, having to treat her like an object.

I was not Kyle.

I was not a monster like Jack.

I sighed imperceptibly as I realised that, at least until Jack was gone, I would have to pretend to be.

"So what's she like in bed? I bet she's feisty… She has a good arm on her," Jack admired crudely. I mentally apologized to Renesmee and anyone else listening as I answered.

"Feisty would be an understatement. The girl's amazing in the sack. And who said the Volturi were all bad?" I laughed, forcing the air out as I filled with shame. In that moment, I was just as bad as Kyle and his vile human friends.

"Nice work. I wouldn't have figured her for an easy pin, but hey, you obviously know her better than I do," he smiled, seeming almost pleased with his little observation. I laughed along with him and forced out a reasonably genuine looking smile as we turned back to head for the house.

"So, you've evaluated my progress. Are you going back to Italy now?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual. I hoped he would leave before we made it back to the house- maybe that way, I wouldn't have to behave badly in front of Renesmee at all.

"I think I'll stick around long enough to say goodbye to the girl. Maybe there's a lost human somewhere out here on the way…" he trailed off and actually began scanning the trees around us. I reached over and roughly punched his arm, sending him crashing into one of the trees he'd been near.

"Hey!" he called back in protest, getting to his feet quickly and laughing at my expression.

"Don't even think about it. The Cullens have been keeping a low profile around here for years and it's not up to you to wreck it for them," I scolded him. He grinned at me unabashed.

"Who's to say there's going to be anyone coming back?" he mused aloud. I held back a gasp.

"I thought Aro just wanted them in his guard… I didn't think he had plans to kill any of them," I said.

"Oh, he wants them in his guard, but they're not the most co-operative of prisoners."

"They're putting up a fight?"

"Oh, yes. Especially the girl's parents. Neither of them are submitting very well to Aro's will," Jack explained.

Inwardly, I was immediately cheered. They were still fighting, still trying to escape. That would make my plan so much easier to carry out once we were all in Italy. Part of me had feared they would give up and there could be no hope of escape if they had no free will left. I was counting on their defiance.

I faintly heard running footsteps and froze for a short moment. I motioned to Jack that we needed to return our conversation to neutral. He nodded and we both simultaneously slowed our pace.

"Cameron?" Renesmee called, appearing in a clearing in front of us. I'd sent her to the house and was puzzled why she had come out here, but I found myself pleased she had, nonetheless. Her expression was excited and badly concealed relief marked her face. I barely repressed an answering smile as we slowed to a human walking pace to approach her. Instead, I treated her to an arrogant smirk.

"Babe," I replied, walking forward and scooping her into my arms. That in itself wasn't too bad, but after my false bravado with Jack, I knew he was expecting more from me. I smirked and pulled her face to mine, kissing her much as I had earlier- passionately and far more ardently than I would have preferred to do in front of company. If we had been alone…. I didn't have to fake the groan that came from my lips as I pulled away a few seconds later.

Nessie looked bewildered, but strangely thrilled, and her cheeks were flushed that delightful rose color that I so loved. I glanced quickly at Jack and when I was positioned in a way that Renesmee couldn't see, I winked once at him. He grinned back and made an obscene gesture with his hand. I pretended to laugh at it and then released Nessie.

"Are you leaving now, Jack?" Renesmee asked, her tone not masking her eagerness for his departure very well at all.

"I think I will. Cereal isn't exactly…. fulfilling," he grinned suggestively at me, casting a sidelong look at her that I understood perfectly. _Mine_, my subconscious growled at the way he was looking at my girl. He was undressing her with his eyes and I felt my hand curl into an involuntary fist as the urge to hit him arose again. It was more than a protective feeling this time, I almost felt possessive, territorial… I had noticed this trait was strong amongst both human males and vampires, but I had never thought I would be susceptible to it.

"Nessie, I'll meet you at home in a minute. I just forgot something I needed to say to Jack," I mumbled unconvincingly. She appraised me with worried eyes for a second before nodding and turning towards home again.

"Goodbye Jack. It was… No, it wasn't nice meeting you," she laughed sarcastically over her shoulder before sprinting away. I watched her retreating figure for a few seconds before I snapped myself out of my brief haze and turned back to Jack.

"You're really leaving?

"Yes, I meant what I said about being hungry. Human food just doesn't cut it… And unless you want to share that delicious smelling girl of yours, I think I need to go and get a _real _meal," he mocked, splitting off from me and backing away in a different direction than the house.

"Yes, her blood does smell good. But I'm not after her blood," I was unable to stop a little anger showing in my voice. He wouldn't guess I was angry because he was talking about drinking the blood of my beloved, no. He would know I still carried a grudge against him from killing Jamie.

"Oh let it go, man. That happened years ago," he sneered dismissively. I held back a growl at his dismissal of his murder and instead cast my eyes downward.

"When do I bring her?" I asked, trying not to let my defeat sound in my voice.

"You don't. They're coming. Saturday, noon. I'll see you in Italy, Cameron," he said, and he was gone. There was a faintest rustling sound and the quiet thud of his retreating footsteps, and then there was nothing.

Nothing but the heavy truth of his parting words.

The Volturi were coming.

**There we go! **

**That was Jack, my new little creation that somehow appeared in my head while I was panning this one. Thoughts on him? **

**So… I left it up to the readers what degree of lemon we would be having… Plan totally backfired with 100% of votes going to FULL ON EPIC LEMON. I'm leaving the 'voting lines' open again for this chapter, so anyone out there at all that doesn't wanna read the sexy times, speak now or forever hold your peace. Feel free/you are encouraged to vote again you horny bastards :P **

**Review for good karma and all that jazz**


	15. Chapter 15

Twilight is owned by SM. This here fanfic is owned by me. Difference- observe it and no one gets sued. 

I love my readers. Each and every one of you :) You make me laugh with your reviews and enthusiasm for the sexy times. Also, WELCOME ANON REVIEWERS! I can't reply to you guys because you don't have accounts, so just want to say thanks heaps for your reviews :D

Now my lovelies, read on :)

-Chapter 15-

**Renesmee POV**

I groaned loudly, clenching my teeth as I felt my breathing speed up. I could feel myself getting closer, so close now….

I heard Cameron make a noise of his own and smiled when I felt him pushing harder.

"Is that it?" I managed to breathe out, feeling my body shaking slightly.

"I'm just getting started," he promised, looking me in the eyes. I bit my lip worriedly and tried to hold on a little longer. "Look at me," he whispered roughly and I glanced up again. His eyes were dark and deep, glinting with fervour.

"You're better at this than I would have thought," he groaned as his eyes shut in concentration.

"Shut up!" I growled, trying to be angry but unable to find it in me with what he was doing. The feel of our skin pressed together was just….

I groaned and felt him slip, falling to the ground beside me.

"I win!" I announced gleefully, looking down at him sprawled on the floor. Both our chests rose and fell in a quick harmony, our bodies almost exhausted. He quirked a grin before grabbing my arm and pulling me swiftly down to him. He sat up quickly and kissed my nose once before working his way leisurely down to my mouth.

"It's strange. Who knew arm wrestling could turn into a make out session?" I managed to ask cheekily in between kisses.

"Hmmm, that _is _strange," he mumbled, ducking his head quickly and busying his lips with my neck.

"You sound cocky mister… Did you let me win?" I breathed, running my hands through his soft hair. I didn't really care if he had, I couldn't concentrate on anything with him kissing me like that.

"If I did?"

"I think I'll find a way to forgive you," I whispered and smiled when he pulled back. He smiled back and I felt my heart flutter in my chest.

"What?" he asked, smiling widely but looking confused. I quickly flashed a reassuring smile; I hadn't realised I'd been staring at him.

"Nothing," I promised.

_Nothing except I love you but I'm too chicken to say it_, I finished ruefully in my head.

"Okay," he replied easily, getting seemingly reluctantly to his feet and offering a hand to me.

I grinned as we walked hand in hand to the kitchen to have lunch, pleased that things were once again back to normal.

It had been a long day, with Jack's mysteriously abrupt visit, and we'd spent most of our morning recovering from it. I knew a brief history between them, but after Jack left, Cameron was almost like a different person for a while. I'd caught him staring at me strangely, almost regretfully, a few times. And he'd been more remote than I'd ever known him to be. It worried me.

He had been distant at first, but I didn't have long to worry before he returned to his normal self. He was soon himself again and I'd been extremely relieved by it. He was everything to me at the moment, I needed him so much. If anything were to ruin things now, I wasn't sure if I could hold it together.

Whatever it was, it was clear something Jack had said or done had shaken him.

I yawned once as I made my way up the stairs that evening. Cameron and I had spent most of our afternoon playing video games and relaxing. I could just barely beat him at Guitar Hero. The thought made me chuckle from the top of the stairs and I heard Cameron pause behind me.

"What's so funny?" he asked, his face making it clear he knew exactly what was amusing me. I had been bringing it up every few minutes or so since I'd won. Because I'm a child like that.

"Oh, just thinking of your legendary fail. Stairway to Heaven on medium should _not _bea hard song for someone like us, Cameron," I laughed as he ducked his head.

He sighed morosely and looked up at me from under his lashes, his eyes deep and clear.

"Right now, _this _feels more like a stairway to Heaven," he said sincerely, gesturing at the steps beneath his feet and then up to me.

And then I sorted, a horrible unladylike sound.

"Yes, I _would _like some wine with that _cheese_," I giggled, smiling widely as he continued up the stairs towards me.

"Damn, that one was my best line," Cameron muttered jokingly, affectionately wrapping his arms around me from behind and following me to my room. He paused in the doorway for a moment and let me go as he breathed out heavily, seeming unhappy about something. Before I could ask him about it, he was nuzzling his face in my hair and holding me tightly against him.

I shut my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, revelling in the simple, amazing feeling. His lips touched against my neck, littering kisses against my warm skin. I felt his tongue lightly sweep the sensitive skin around my ear and literally shuddered when he breathed cool air against the same spot. The skin on my neck peppered quickly with goose bumps and I'm sure he knew it because he drew me closer to him, but just far enough away I could see the smirk on his face.

He lowered his mouth gently to mine and I nearly sighed with happiness at the feel of his lips against my own. He kept it light, almost chaste, sucking on my bottom lip and trailing his hands through my hair slowly.

I tried not to feel disappointed. The way he'd kissed me earlier, when Jack had been there… It had been rough, passionate and had felt so amazing. I wanted him to kiss me like that again, wanted him to feel the love I had for him in my response. But I felt shy about taking the first step, making the first move. Why was I such a wimp?

"Mmm. Why do you taste so good?" Cameron breathed after pulling away a few long moments later, drawing me out of my reverie.

"There's something in the water, I think, because you taste damn fine, too," I whispered in his ear. He made some sort of noise in the back of his throat and I cocked an eyebrow at him before smiling.

"I'm going to go and get dressed for bed. Wait in here for me?" I asked.

"Sure," he smiled quickly, looking almost confused as he went to sit in the chair in the corner of my room.

I quickly rummaged around in my blankets and found the simple white tank top and short combination I always wore. I slipped into my bathroom and began undressing, taking the time to neatly fold the clothes I was wearing. The hooker clothes had been discarded as soon as Cameron and I had been alone again and lay in a corner in the laundry room. I quickly pulled on my pyjamas, brushing my teeth meticulously. I washed my face, loving the feel of the cool water against my flushed cheeks. I smiled once at my reflection and then returned to my bedroom.

Cameron was sitting in the chair I had left him in, staring vacantly at the room around him. He looked up when I entered and I felt his gaze sweep over me briefly before he looked at my face. He knew I'd caught him, by the look of his slightly chagrined face, but I smiled at him to let him know I didn't mind. Inside, however, my heart was thrumming away faster than usual and I barely managed to fight back a blush. I was more than flattered that he was looking at me in that way…. In fact, I liked it.

Was it so wrong for me to want him like that?

Was I a fool to think he could ever want me in that way?

I sighed and he was immediately on his feet in front of me.

"What's wrong?" he asked, reaching out a hand to touch my cheek.

"It's nothing," I lied quickly, smiling genuinely at him. He didn't look entirely convinced but let the matter drop quickly.

"Goodnight Nessie," he said, stepping forward to kiss me again, much the same as before. I felt myself falling into the natural motion of kissing him back, when his words caught up with me. I pulled back quickly, placing a palm flat against his chest.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking concerned by my sudden movement.

"You're sleeping in your room tonight?" I asked incredulously. After the past two nights, and everything that had happened today… I had thought it was obvious that we would sleep in the same bed again tonight. And then a horrible thought struck me. "Er. That is if you don't want to sleep in here, that's fine, I mean, I won't be offende-"

"Nessie?" Cameron interrupted me.

"Yes?" I asked, looking up worriedly.

"Why do you always do that? Second guess yourself, doubt yourself? I hate it," he said, cupping my cheek with one hand, concern in his grey eyes.

"I don't really know… Lately it's just been a natural reaction when I'm with you..." I admitted softly.

"Just me?" he asked, sounding almost slightly offended.

"No, no! I don't mean it like that. It's just… Do you remember the night we met?"

"Of course I do, how could I forget?"

"Well, that night, you asked me if you made me nervous. And I told you yes. You still make me nervous sometimes," I confessed, biting my lip and looking up slowly to see his reaction.

"Oh… I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable," he said, smiling ruefully at me. I could see how his eyes had dimmed, how the spark in them had almost vanished.

"No, Cameron. It's a good nervous… I like it," I assured him, leaning my head into his chest. I grimaced slightly, hoping I hadn't said something stupid. Every word had been the truth. If he couldn't feel and hear how he made my heart race with just his proximity….

"Are you sure?" he asked, tilting my face up to his.

"Absolutely," I breathed, shutting my eyes as he lowered his lips to mine. Our kiss was slow and sweet, I could almost feel the concern he had for me in the air around us.

"So was that an invitation earlier?" Cameron asked as he pulled back, his eyes still shut.

"Of course it was," I grinned up at him.

"I'll go and take a shower and be back in ten," he smiled, stooping quickly to press a kiss against my forehead before leaving the room. I smiled in relief and sank down to sit on my bed. I picked at threads on the corner of my bed and sighed loudly.

I'm such an impatient person.

The problem was less to do with my level of patience and more to do with my frustration to try and make him kiss me like he had earlier again.

I had no idea why he'd done what he had, but I could still feel the adrenaline and excitement flowing through my veins when I thought about the way he had pressed me against the tree…. I shivered and felt my pulse spontaneously quicken.

For nearly a full month, I'd had to pretend that Cameron was my boyfriend to satisfy the shallow troubles of High School.

But tomorrow, for the first time since I'd met him, I would no longer have to pretend.

I was almost looking forward to tomorrow, to a day at school where I could rest my head against his shoulder at lunch and have him put his arm around me. I wanted everyone to know that I was his…

We didn't have a label for what we were, I didn't think that it was even possible to explain it. But a silent understanding seemed to pass between us, an understanding that made it clear that we were together.

Romantically.

I was romantically attached to someone.

The thought still made my head go slightly delirious for a few moments and I smiled subconsciously. More memories of that wonderful moment in the forest flashed back through my head and I giggled as I felt my cheeks warm. Then my smile fell slightly when I remembered what else had happened.

I could remember clearly the feeling of power and freedom that had run through me after I'd punched Jack in the face. The satisfying feeling of knowing _I _was causing someone else harm was…. strangely enjoyable. I wasn't sure why I'd cursed, but I felt a small smile light up my face as I remembered the feeling of rebelliousness that had surfaced in me when I'd let the word slip.

"Fuck," I said aloud, smiling triumphantly at my reflection in the mirror.

I'd wanted to prove to myself that I was still in control of my own body, of my own fate. I was a half vampire for crying out loud! Not some weak human who couldn't fight her own battles. My mother, Rosalie, Alice and Esme were all strong women. I liked to think I'd done them proud, standing up for myself the way I had.

Since Friday night I had been acting strangely, I knew that. I'd let my fear rule me. Not anymore. Kyle and his friends were nothing to me anymore. Nothing. I could kill them in less than a second if I wanted to. Wait….

That thought had me sitting upright immediately, shock written all over my face.

Kyle… What had happened to him and his friends? I hadn't paused for a moment to really think about it. Before now, it had been too painful, too haunting to recall any details. But now I thought back to what had happened and felt my fist clench by my side.

I crossed quickly to my window and gazed out into the darkness, wondering. The idea that the men who had tried to do that to me were out there, somewhere, was just infuriating.

In one of the tall trees that bordered our yard, I could see an owl perched on a high branch, tensed and looking ready to pounce. I watched as it arched its wings gracefully and took flight, swooping to the ground and snaring something in its powerful beak. It flew back up to the same tree and I could just barely make out the tiny figure of a field mouse struggling to get free.

On Friday night, I had been the mouse. I had nearly let myself get beaten, get crushed by the boys from school.

I quickly slid open my window and jumped to the ground outside. The cool air stung my skin slightly but I ignored it as I sprinted to the base of the tree. Without thinking about it, I clawed my way quickly to the top. I knew I must have been a blur to the unsuspecting owl. I reached its branch and watched as its eyes widened with what I supposed was shock. I reached for it quickly, taking a hold of one of its wings as my other hand reached for its beak.

The tiny mouse was still held captive and it took very little effort to 'convince' the owl to let it go. As soon as I had the mouse in my palm I let go of the bird. I glared at it as it flew away, hooting mournfully at its lost meal. I opened my palm to see the tiny mouse still alive. I smiled and jumped to the ground, landing on the balls of my feet. I bent down onto the slightly dewy grass and carefully placed the mouse down. It looked at me for just a second, its tiny body shaking with fear no doubt. And then I watched as it took off, scampering away into the trees.

I smiled and then looked back at the house. I made my way slowly back to the spot under my window and jumped up. I reached my hands out to grasp the sill and quickly pulled myself through the window.

Cameron still hadn't returned and I went to my bathroom to wash my hands.

I went back to my bed and sank down onto it slowly, breathing deeply.

I wasn't a mouse, a victim.

I was an owl, the hunter.

More specifically, I was a vampire, not a human.

I didn't have to be afraid of Kyle or his friends, and I wasn't.

I could be the hunter.

Cameron walked in just then, dressed in a casual T-shirt and short combination. His hair was damp from his shower and stood up some directions. He half smiled before he seemed to notice my face and quickly crossed to my side, looking alarmed by my expression.

"Nessie? What is it?" he asked, placing an arm around my shoulders to comfort me and pulling me slightly into his side. He walked us over to my bed and we both sat down on the edge of it, him with his arm still around me.

"What happened to Kyle?" I asked in a dangerous voice that I didn't even recognize.

"What?"

"What happened to Kyle? I just realised then… I never even asked until now," I admitted stormily, turning to face Cameron. "I didn't even think about it, I was just too relieved that they didn't get what they wanted… Now I want to know what happened."

"I… Does it matter?" he asked, searching my face with wide, grey eyes.

"Yes. What happened after I called out to you?" I replied darkly. Of course it mattered.

"I just went outside and found them in the forest. End of story," he said.

"Cameron, please be honest with me," I requested, knowing from his tone that he was hiding something.

"I don't want to hurt you…"

"Please. I'm in control now, I'm stronger. Tell me?" My voice was softer, a calm, even tone.

"Kyle was… Kyle was about to touch you but he didn't get his chance. I knocked his friends out. And then I hit him. I'm pretty sure I broke his jaw," Cameron answered, looking wary.

"Oh…" _About _to touch me. Which meant he hadn't. My head filled with disgust at the idea of him putting even a finger on me, but I was surprised when I didn't feel any fear accompanying it.

"Believe me Nessie…. It took all the control I had not to kill him," Cameron declared, darkness creeping into his eyes as he obviously recalled Friday night from his point of view.

"No, I believe you. I didn't want you to kill him," I reassured him.

"You're above that sort of thing," Cameron muttered as he pulled me closer to him.

"No, I'm really not. I didn't want you to kill him because…. Part of… part of _me _wants to kill him for what he tried to do to me," I admitted, biting my lip as anger began to flood into my mind and body.

Punching Jack, unleashing my anger, seemed to have broken me out of the trance I'd been in since Friday night. And now I was furious and vengeful.

Killing Kyle… I didn't know if it was too extreme, but it sure as hell didn't feel like it at that moment. I wanted him to know the feeling of absolute terror I had experienced. I wanted him to be completely at my mercy, and for him to know what it was like to have it thrown back in his face.

"No, Nessie. You're too good for that. You're just perfect," Cameron replied, abandoning his attempt to sit comfortably beside me and simply pulling me onto his lap.

"I'm not so sure," I muttered, burying my face in his shoulder and trying to contain my anger. I knew myself well. I'd never killed a human before. I had come close a few times, but never had I tasted human blood that I had killed for.

_But you don't have to drink from them…. _A suggestive voice in my head crooned. For the second time in a few days, Rosalie's story flashed through my head. I remembered that she had gotten her revenge and not broken Carlisle's trust. She hadn't drunk from Royce, and I certainly didn't have to drink from Kyle…

"Well I'm sure. You're too…. Innocent. I won't let you have that on your conscience," Cameron whispered in my ear.

In my mind, my mother's and father's voices joined Cameron's. I could almost picture Carlisle's face if he knew what I was thinking. I sighed and let my hands unclench themselves. I'd forgotten something. I wasn't a human. But I wasn't a vampire either. The bloodlust lived in me, but it was not so dominant that I couldn't overcome it. I couldn't kill Kyle, no matter how angry I was, I couldn't…

"He's not worth it," Cameron murmured, his final sentence reiterating the words I'd once whispered to him.

Those simple words dispelled any remaining anger and I let myself melt into his arms.

Cameron sighed, feeling the release of tension in my body, and rolled us backwards so we were lying with our heads on our pillows. Our legs were still tangled together but neither of us mentioned it as we simply lay side by side, watching each other.

"I would kill him, you know. If you asked me to. I'd do anything for you," he whispered suddenly, reaching his hand out to take one of mine and hold it between us.

"I… Thank you," I said back, surprised to feel tears brim behind my eyes. "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"It was a death threat… What does that say about your choice of company?" he replied, smiling. I giggled and squeezed his hand, shutting my eyes in contentment.

"Thank you, again. I don't know how I'd ever be able to repay you," I mumbled, biting my lip.

"Nessie, I don't want or expect anything from you. You're safe, that's more than enough for me," he said, bringing our joined hands to his lips and touching his lips to the back of my hand. "Mmm, and you haven't slapped me yet for being so forward, surely that's payment enough," he groaned, releasing my hand and sliding himself slightly further away from me.

"What? Why would I slap you?" I chuckled but a worried frown remained on my face.

"I just…." he sighed, "I just feel like I'm rushing you. And I don't want to do that, I want this- whatever it is we have- to be on your terms. It would kill me to think that I ever forced you to do anythi-"

"Cameron. For the love of God, shut your face. If I thought you were pushing me or moving too fast, I would tell you. You're not, in fact…."

"In fact?" he pressed, looking anxiously into my eyes.

"If anything, I'd almost say you were going _too _slow…. What happened earlier, in the forest… That's what I want. I don't want you to hold back," I admitted, watching as his expression changed in response to what I was saying.

"You liked that?" he asked incredulously, tilting his head slightly to the side and raising one eyebrow.

I nodded slowly, wondering what could possibly be going through his head.

**Cameron POV**

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

How the _fuck _did I ever get so lucky?

I watched as Renesmee nodded, her beautiful brown eyes lowered in what almost looked like shame as she told me that she liked the way I had kissed her in the forest.

She wanted me to kiss her the way I had earlier?

She wanted me to taste her again, to give in to what I had been fighting back practically since the day I met her?

I could do that.

I reached for her and pulled her to me so swiftly I'm sure she barely realised what was happening to her. With a slight groan I gave in and forced my mouth down on hers, kissing her exactly the way I had earlier. Her lips parted willingly underneath mine I was almost shocked when I felt her tongue flick against her lips, almost like she were inviting me into her mouth.

I let my arms encircle her and used one of my hands to carefully hold her head angled the way I needed it. I kissed her like it was the first and last kiss we would ever share, let everything I felt for her silently stream through the connection between us. One of her hands made its way to my hair and the feel of her slender fingers weaving patterns through my still slightly damp hair felt amazing. I let my free hand trail slowly down her back and she shivered before pressing herself close to me. The way her body moved against mine instantly reignited the flame of desire that had been slowly burning in me all day.

Before I consciously realised what I'd done, my hands had slipped up under her tank top and were running up and down her sides gently. I broke our kiss immediately, pulling back far enough to see her face. Her breathing was heavy and she was looking at me in puzzled bewilderment, like she, too, had no idea what had been happening.

"What's wrong?" she panted breathlessly.

"Nothing, it's just I…" I trailed off, unsure what to answer.

_It's just, I was in the middle of groping you, you see_. Yes, so smooth.

Her expression changed just slightly and she almost looked disappointed, like she was upset with me for stopping.

I inwardly cringed, going out on a limb as I withdrew one of my hands slowly, leaving the other resting on the warm flesh of the small of her back. With my newly freed hand, I softly drew my fingertips up her arm, lingering against the supple skin of her shoulder. I darted my eyes quickly to her face and saw that she was watching me intently, the beautiful, rosy pink color I adored covering her cheeks. I lowered my head to her shoulder and kissed my way up to her neck, using my hand to gently slide her bra and tank top straps down off her shoulder. Her breath caught and she ducked her head into my shoulder, not letting me see her expression.

I took that as a good sign and continued, kissing back down her neck again to the spot I had just revealed. She leaned into me, pressing her chest against me. I felt my arousal grow as I felt her breasts grazing against me through her thin tank top. It would take so little to remove it, the flimsy piece of cotton that was separating us…

I suppressed a groan, kissing my way across her collarbones to do the same to the straps on her other side. I could hear her heart beating much faster than usual, or was it my own? I didn't know anymore. We were one and the same.

I let my lips linger, kissing up to the corner of her mouth and then back down again slowly. I could hear the way her breathing had picked up and I smiled inwardly, still amazed that I could have that effect on her. I felt her hands gently reach around me and could feel her fisting her hands in the simple T-shirt I wore. She began to pull the material up and I tried to control my shock and lifted it over my head helpfully.

Nessie was smiling widely by this point and I smiled back before leaning back down over her to kiss her again. That time I heard her moan slightly in response and I just about lost it. I'm sure she sensed me freeze, but that didn't seem to stop her from quickly rolling us over so that she hovered on top of me. She leaned down onto me and kissed me eagerly, her hair falling in a dark curtain around her face. I kissed her back, my hands lowering to the bottom of her tank top. I grasped the soft material in my hands and lifted slowly, watching as her creamy white flesh was revealed before me. She didn't stop me as I pulled the white fabric completely over her head, discarding it on the floor beside the bed.

I felt like a complete pervert as I stared at her, drinking in the beautiful sight of the half naked girl on top of me.

"You're so beautiful," I whispered, pulling her down onto me so she lay flat against me. Her warm flesh against my own set off a distant alarm bell in my head but I ignored it, kissing her hungrily. My hands cupped her face and she started trailing her hands up and down my arms.

I groaned and rolled us over again, pinning her beneath me and not wanting her to stop what she was doing with her hands. I kissed down her neck to the edge of her bra and then back up to her lips again, teasing both of us. I brought my knee forward between her legs and pressed gently. She moaned softly and I smirked down at her.

"So… nice," she whispered.

Her words immediately threw me into my past, to a time when someone very different said the same words.

"_So… nice," Carolina smiled as she waved at the little boy._

_I suppressed a growl and took my little friend's hand, turning so we could go to the other side of the park. I did not think the other human child was 'nice' at all. Carolina was six years old and already I was freaking out at the thought of her with a boy. I wasn't her father, I was closer to an older brother, but I felt a surge of protectiveness shoot through me as I thought about the idea of any boy ever touching her. _

"_Cammy? What's wrong?" Carolina asked, frowning up at me. I smiled slightly at the nick name she'd given me but then the frown resettled on my face. _

"_Nothing," I replied, looking away._

"_Okay," she smiled happily, believing me instantly. She dropped my hand and started running ahead of me. _

_I smiled indulgently and started chasing after her at a painfully slow speed. She giggled and screamed, running away from me with her colourful sundress flying out behind her like a cape and her hands waving madly in the air. _

"_Awww, that's so cute!" I heard a human female gush from the other side of the park. _

"_Ashley, he's taking his little sister to the park. You can't seriously be trying to pick him up _now _can you?" another voice asked. I suppressed a grimace and continued playing the game with Carolina, hoping the human would stay away. _

_I was not a lucky guy. _

"_Is she your sister?" I heard the human, apparently named Ashley, say from much closer to me now. I turned grudgingly to face her and smiled as I nodded. _

"_That's adorable. I'm Ashley, by the way. What's your name?" she asked, stepping closer to me. I frowned slightly. _

"_Cameron," I said, looking away to make sure Carolina was alright. She seemed to have amused herself in the sandbox again and I groaned, wishing she wanted to leave or something so I had an excuse not to talk to this girl. _

"_So, are you new in town?" Ashley asked as I turned my eyes back to her. She had long blonde hair and was wearing a pretty dress. I smiled at the likeness to Carolina and Ashley grinned back, thinking the smile was meant for her. _

"_We're not staying in town long," I replied, smiling tightly and checking over my shoulder to make sure Carolina was alright. The same boy from before was standing over by the swings watching her, but she played on obliviously. I clenched my teeth and was surprised when I heard Ashley laugh. _

"_Overprotective much? Come on, she's got to be, what, five or six? Maybe you should wait until she's in her teens to worry about her dating," Ashley laughed. I faked a laugh, too preoccupied to really hear what she was saying. _

"_Speaking of dating… Do you need some... company? Maybe a lady friend?" she asked, lowering her eyes. _

_I coughed loudly once and grimaced. _

"_Er, thanks for the offer but… You're a bit young," I mumbled, grasping at the first excuse that entered my head. _

"_I'm seventeen," she protested, jutting out her lips in a pout. _

_She was as much a child as Carolina was. She was some guy's daughter, maybe some guy's sister. The idea of someone caring as much about this Ashley as I did about Carolina just added to my list of negatives. She was willing to throw herself at a random stranger she'd just met in a park? I frowned at the idea of Carolina ever deciding to do something like that. I knew she wouldn't but still….. Whoever he was, I would kill him. _

_For all I knew, Ashley could be a perfectly nice girl. But I wouldn't know, I wouldn't be able to find out either. It was clear what she was offering when she said 'company', but I wasn't interested in the slightest. If I ever found a girl, I would do things right. I would never rush into something like that or let myself get caught up in the moment. _

"_Is there already a girl in your life?" Ashley asked, looking confused by my rejection. _

"_Only Carolina," I nodded towards the sandbox. Then I did a double take. The same boy from earlier had approached while I'd been talking and was perched on the wooden edge of the sandbox. _

"_You're pretty. Will you be my wife?" the boy asked, offering Carolina a crumpled up white daisy from his hand. _

"_I'm already married but!" I heard Carolina protest. _

"_To who?" the boy argued. _

"_To Cam-er-on! Hello Cammy!" she called, getting to her feet and waving at me. I couldn't help myself, I started laughing. She'd decided shortly after we met that we were married. I'd been forced to participate in the ceremony and everything. Afterwards we'd eaten imagination cake together. She'd worn a white butterfly hair clip that was one of the only things to come with her from her past. She still kept it with her most of the time, sleeping with it under her pillow or in her pockets. I remembered the ecstatic grin on her face when she'd suggested the marriage idea to me and how quickly I had agreed, knowing it would make her happy. I continued to laugh as I recalled the memory, pleased that Carolina was wise enough to reject the little human boy. _

"_Come on Carolina, let's go home," I called, walking forward to take her hand again. _

"_Piggyback! Pleeeease?" she begged, bouncing up and down. I smiled and quickly pulled her up, placing my hands under her short legs. She wrapped her arms around my neck and we started for the exit to the park. _

_We walked past Ashley and I paused for a moment. _

"_See? This is the only girl I need. Right Lina?" I said._

"_Right! Run Cammy! Faster horsey!" Carolina giggled from behind me, tightening her choke hold on me. I smiled in farewell to Ashley and started running at a human pace towards our temporary campsite. _

_Carolina was the only girl I needed in my life. And if I ever met another one, I would make sure that I did things right, would make sure that I never made a mistake like Ashley. _

"Cameron?" Renesmee's voice sounded through my head, pulling me from my memories. She was half sitting up and had a worried look on her face. I gazed into her brown eyes and fought back the emotions that came over me when I did. "Are you okay?" she asked when I didn't reply.

"Sorry," I mumbled. She smiled sympathetically and bit her lip as she blushed. I looked down and saw her still clad in only her bra and tiny pyjama shorts. I nearly groaned at the sight, the image burning itself into my eyes and refusing to disappear even if I shut them.

"Was something wrong?" she asked, hesitantly taking my hand with one of hers and frowning down at it as she talked. I sighed.

I loved her and I wanted her to be mine forever, but I knew I wouldn't be able to defend my actions to myself tomorrow, or the next day. I didn't want our first time together to be a mistake, something we rushed into… I wanted it to be special.

_Yes, I am aware how gay that sounded_, I quickly reminded my internal voice before it could even start.

"Yes, there was something wrong," I said in a reluctant voice, sitting myself up properly and waiting until she did the same. "I… I care about you, you know that right?" I said, squeezing her hand and looking into her eyes, needing for her to know I meant that. _Care?_ I asked myself. _Love_, I corrected in my head. 

"I guess," Nessie replied, looking more concerned by the second.

"I just… I can't do this. Not now," I explained quickly, hating myself even as the words left my mouth.

I just fucking cock blocked_ myself_? It was a sad day when a guy could say that to himself.

"Oh… Why?" Nessie asked, blushing furiously and looking down at our hands again. I exhaled heavily and ran a hand through my dishevelled hair.

"I know you said you thought we were moving too slow, and I understand that. But… Our first kiss was yesterday, we're touching for the first time properly tonight… There has to be a line we can draw between too fast and too slow, doesn't there?" I asked, tilting her face back up so she would meet my eyes. I needed to know what her reaction was.

She surprised me by first frowning, a splash of hurt flittering across her features. I could also feel it coming from her hand where I touched it, like she had projected her feelings towards me without meaning to. I flinched, feeling her pain as if it were my own. How I hated causing her pain…

"I guess that makes sense. You're right, I don't think we should rush this," she said finally, smiling timidly.

"I'm glad you understand. The last thing I want you think is that I don't… I mean, that I don't find you… I mean, I _do_ find you- e-extremely, I just, I.." I stammered the last part, feeling my face grow hot.

"Oh, I know you do," she said in a knowing voice, smirking at me before her eyes flitted downwards. I followed her eyes and swore out loud.

"Fuck," I cursed, staring at the very noticeable hard on in my pants. Renesmee giggled as I blushed. I leaned in quickly to the crook of her neck, running my hand down her bare back as I spoke.

"Now you know just how much I want you," I whispered in her ear. I pulled back and saw that she was blushing furiously. We both leaned in at the same time, sharing a light kiss. While we kissed, I focused hard downstairs, getting rid of my problem quickly. I loved having vampiric control sometimes. I knew that if I hadn't, sleep would have been extremely uncomfortable. And sleeping in the same bed as my girl was not an experience I intended to waste by feeling anything less than the complete happiness I should.

"Sleep now?" Renesmee asked after we broke apart a moment later, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I think that would be best," I replied with a rueful smirk.

She leaned over the side of the bed and I saw her pick up the tank top from the floor. Before she could pull it over her head, I reached out and snatched it off her and tossed it to the other side of the room. She looked at me in confusion.

"Leave it off," I requested, smiling innocently at her.

She blushed and lay back down on the bed, tucking herself under the covers. I pulled my half of the blankets up and then moved closer to her. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and smiled when she arched as close to me as she could.

"Goodnight, Cameron," she murmured drowsily.

"Goodnight, beautiful," I replied, squeezing her once tightly.

We drifted off to sleep with the warmth of each other's bare skin driving away both cold and nightmares.

**Renesmee POV**

"No. I don't want to go," Cameron protested jokingly, curling up in a stubborn ball and gripping the sheets tightly.

"I don't want to go either. I'd much rather spend the day at home with you. But… we should go, you know. We still can't afford mistakes, the Volturi…" I said, my tone cautious and still tinged with fear. No matter what was going on in my life with Cameron or school, I still thought about my family every day.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Cameron apologized immediately.

"No, no. Don't be sorry. But we really should get up now, we'll miss homeroom otherwise," I said. He reached over and pulled me back into the warmth of his arms, inhaling deeply with his nose buried in my hair.

"Mhmm... Five more minutes of this. Of just being with you. Please?" he asked, and I could practically see the puppy dog eyes, even though I wasn't facing him.

"Five minutes…." I conceded easily, shutting my eyes and allowing myself to fall back into the easy comfort of sleeping next to him. He was so much warmer than a blanket, yet not stiflingly so. It was like he'd been made for me.

I smiled and rolled over to face him. I could see that he was also watching me, his eyes appearing more blue than usual. He met my smile with one of his own and then shut his eyes, pulling me closer to him again.

The close contact immediately reminded me of last night and for a second my heart fell.

He'd essentially told me he didn't want to sleep with me.

Well…. He'd said 'not right now,' yet it still felt like some sort of rejection.

I suppressed a grimace, remembering how hard it had been to fall asleep after that. He'd gotten me so worked up with his kisses and what he was doing to me that I'd lain awake for at least an hour just reminiscing. I was sure I'd never shown so much skin in front of him before, apart from the night that I met him, yet I was completely comfortable with it, with him seeing me like that.

The warmth of our chests pressed together now brought heat to my cheeks and I heard my heart race a little faster.

Grrrrr.

Stupid Cameron and his stupid gentlemanly behaviour.

I wanted him so badly I felt like I would die.

Okay, maybe not _die, _but certainly live a vague and unfulfilled life devoid of any happiness.

I giggled at my own melodramatic, _human like_ thought and Cameron hummed a noise with an inflection to it in question.

"Oh, nothing," I replied, still smiling.

Deep down I'm sure some part of me was relieved he'd stopped us last night. He did have a point about our physical timeline. Had it really only been Saturday when he'd kissed me for the first time?

Maybe it was because my feelings for him had begun so much earlier than that. I think that counted for more than the time we'd been together physically. I knew that if we hadn't stopped and had ended up sleeping together, _I _certainly wouldn't have regretted it a single bit.

Five minutes passed quickly as I mused and lay in the most comforting, warm silence imaginable next to the guy I loved.

Would it really be so hard to tell him the truth, to tell him I was in love with him and had been since… I wasn't sure when it started, but I knew it wasn't a sudden thing and had been building slowly, smouldering under the surface of my life until I finally realised the truth.

A sudden burst of confidence had me opening my eyes slowly and drawing in a deep breath.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up," Cameron sighed loudly, sitting up quickly.

I opened my mouth slowly and shut it again quickly.

Damn. Moment gone.

I grimaced as I got to my feet, too, and turned to face him.

"I'm going to get dressed. Meet you downstairs," he smiled, brushing my hand very briefly as he passed me for the doorway. I smiled and then groaned to myself. My timing was awful, I decided.

I'd had the perfect opportunity to tell him and I'd missed it. I think it was because on some level, I still couldn't fathom how he could want to be with me. If he hadn't been the one to kiss me first, I wasn't sure if I ever would have plucked up the courage to do it. I smiled sadly as I stood and went to the bathroom to wash my face.

My smile became less forced as I re-entered my room and spotted my tank top lying on the floor over by my wardrobe. He'd wanted me, I was sure of it. Well, at least his body had. I blushed and smiled to myself as I recalled what I'd felt pressing into me. Oh yeah, he wanted me. I folded the tank top slowly and tucked it under my pillow, musing.

Baby steps, I decided, was the answer.

Cameron didn't think it was a good idea to sleep together…. _yet. _But I bet I could change his mind. I smiled wickedly as I dressed for the day, planning what I could possibly do.

We met downstairs and our morning routine was much the same as usual. He ate his toast, and I ate my cereal. The only difference was that we now held hands beneath the table. It was such a tiny thing, barely significant, but it just about made my day even though it was only eight o'clock.

We took the Volvo to school and chatted easily during the drive. It was almost like nothing had changed. But again, the small differences made me smile. Like when he took my hand and pulled me back to the car when I tried to walk towards school ahead of him. He placed me gently against the car and stood in front of me, trapping me there.

"Someone's eager for school," he said, looking quizzically at me.

"Math's is the bomb-diggity," I deadpanned. He laughed and leant forward quickly to steal a kiss before stepping back. He offered his hand to me and I took it, in high spirits as we walked towards the school together, both smiling like the happy couple we had supposedly been for the past month.

Only a few people stared throughout the day. A small number of people outright gasped when Cameron kissed me in front of them. They had become so used to our 'no PDA' policy that it felt like our first day all over again, the staring and whispers. But I quickly found I actually enjoyed PDA. A lot.

I think Cameron did to, because sometimes, for no particular reason, he would lean in quickly to touch his lips to mine, wrapping an arm around me as he did so. Each and every time I blushed, but smiled.

When Art class rolled around, we made it halfway there before I remembered he had Spanish instead. I frowned and stopped walking, gently tugging on his hand so he would stop. He turned to look at me in question.

"You have Spanish now, remember?" I said.

"Oh. Crap, I forgot about that," he mumbled, dropping my hand.

"Adiós, tiene un divertirse su clase," I said, recalling the little Spanish I knew.

"Te echaré de menos, niña hermosa. Cada segundo que estoy lejos de ti..." he replied smoothly, staring me in the eyes. I felt my mouth drop open slightly in surprise and watched him smile at my shock.

"What does that mean?" I asked. I had no clue what he'd said.

"Secret," he winked, leaning down to kiss my cheek once before turning and walking towards the Spanish room. I huffed out a breath of air and continued walking towards Art.

I dumped my books down at my usual table and frowned as I went around the room collecting the equipment I would need for my painting. I was mentally thumbing through my internal Spanish dictionary, trying desperately to piece together what he'd said. Niña meant girl, but that was all I knew. I sighed as I gave up, resigning myself to having to ask him later.

Art class passed slowly. Painfully so.

I didn't realise until nearly the end of class that the portrait had turned into a landscape of the ocean. The grey waves peaked and white foam looked like it was about to swirl up onto the sand. I realised just as my paint brush had been in the middle of outlining a pair of legs standing close by each other. I smiled as I realised I had just been about to paint our first kiss.

When the bell rang I packed up my things slowly and deliberately, trying not to seem too overeager to be back with Cameron.

By the time I realised I wasn't the last one left in the Art room, it was too late; I'd seen him.

I hadn't noticed Kyle slip in while others had been leaving or packing up. It was as I turned and scooped up my books into my arms to leave that I saw him leaning against the wall. The books fell out of my arms and clattered noisily onto the tabletop. I could hear how my heartbeat had sped and struggled to slow it again.

I didn't have to be afraid anymore.

His jaw was a dark purple, blotchy color and I internally smiled, knowing that was where Cameron must have hit him.

"What do you want?" I asked, hating the way my voice shook ever so slightly.

"You remember?" he said dubiously, looking disappointed.

"Of course I remember," I growled.

"I…" he trailed off, straightening up slightly and walking closer to me.

I glared at the distance between us and he stopped moving, holding his palms up in surrender.

"I've come to… to apologize for Friday night," he said, looking nervously at me.

"Oh really?" I snapped, taking a step towards him. He looked almost afraid for a second before some of his old arrogance seemed to leak back into him.

"Yes. I acknowledge what we did was, well, it was wrong-"

"_Wrong_? You make me sick, Kyle. What you tried to do was…" I trailed off as my anger from last night resurfaced in me.

_I am a kind, compassionate, merciful person. I will not kill him. I will not kill him. _

"I know and I'm sorry, really Renesmee, I am." He didn't sound incredibly sincere. I wanted a proper apology.

I growled under my breath, restraining myself barely from walking forward and snapping his neck.

_I will not kill him. I will not kill him._

"Are you gonna' go to the cops?" he stammered.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?" I asked, smirking. Finally, something I could threaten him with that wouldn't turn me into a murderer!

Of course I wouldn't _actually _go to the cops. That would involve a medical. Blood tests, DNA samples, urine samples. My vampirism would most definitely show up in any tests they ran. But Kyle didn't have to know I was bluffing.

"Uh, come on, please? We were wasted, it was a stupid idea, I mean, like, we didn't mean for it to go that far," he said, looking around himself nervously, as if searching for the right words.

"I don't want to hear it Kyle. I think you need to leave me the Hell alon-"

"What did I say about talking to her?" Cameron's voice came from over by the door. In an instant he was at my side, taking my hand in his and squeezing it tightly.

"Hey man, come on, I was just trying to apologize!" Kyle said, definitely looking more afraid of Cameron than he had of me.

"I don't care," Cameron growled, his eyes darkening. I rarely saw this side of him. I'd seen it the day before with Jack and seeing it again now was just as confronting as it had been then.

"Calm down man, just chill okay? I've said sorry, I'm going now. I'm not gonna' bother her again," Kyle rushed to say the words. I smiled at his fear. I was supposed to be a human girl so I couldn't exactly make him fear me, but Cameron sure could…

"Then leave. I don't ever want to see you or your friends again, you hear me? I've spared your lives twice now, don't push me a third time," Cameron threatened coolly. I knew he wasn't joking and the thrill that raced through me at the hint of malice in his words was inexplicable and wonderful at the same time.

Did I like bad boy Cameron?

Interesting…

Kyle nodded quickly, stammered another quick apology and then left the room quickly, the door banging shut behind him.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked, turning to face me.

"Mhmm, I think so. My hero," I smiled, batting my eyelashes at him.

"That's what I'm here for," he breathed as we leaned into each other, our lips touching just barely.

"Hey! Save it for the cafeteria," Mrs Fora, the Art teacher, exclaimed as she re-entered the classroom with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Yes Ma'am," Cameron replied, smiling as he pulled me by the hand into the corridor.

I was so happy.

**Jacob POV**

I was so miserable.

Renesmee was gone.

She was with someone else.

Just like Bella had been.

Was it possible it was my luck in life to always miss out?

When Renesmee had been growing up, everyone had expected we would fall in love and live happily ever after.

That shit never happened.

I'd never before held it against her, never. And I'd always tried so hard to hide it from her how much it hurt.

But watching that son-of-a-bitch kiss her against their car parked at school… It was like watching her die. I wasn't sure if I'd ever felt more pain in my life.

I'd battled vampires.

I'd broken countless bones.

I'd lost gallons of blood in fights.

But nothing hurt more than seeing Renesmee kissing Cameron. Except maybe seeing how happy she looked when she pulled away.

It was Bella and Edward all over again, but this time, I _knew _she was supposed to have been mine. Imprinting was all about finding your soul mate. You were supposed to find your imprinted partner and spend the rest of your life with them. And yet again, because of a _vampire_, I was once again left with nothing.

I felt my hands beginning to shake, my very frame trembling, preparing to transform into a being that could handle the pain better. When I was a wolf, life was easier. Life didn't hurt.

If Renesmee didn't want me, I would go.

And I wouldn't come back.

**Poor Jacob :(**

**THAT WAS NOT THE LEMON. I'M SORRY. NEXT CHAPTER. I PROMISE. **

**This was to help bridge the gap between their first kiss and the sexy times. Because it felt too random to put it in this chapter. And we love Cameron and Nessie, so we don't want them to go too fast now, do we?**

**Also, the Spanish was:**

**Nessie: Goodbye, have a fun class**

**Cameron: I will miss you, beautiful girl. Every second I am away from you…**

**^NOTE: I do not speak Spanish, nor does anyone I know. I got this off a translation site. If I have made any mistakes, could any Spanish speaking fans help a girl out and tell me where I went wrong? I will re-upload chapter if there is anything major. **

**So… there were 25 reviews since last update… WOW! **

**Here is a challenge to you dears…. Get this story to 100 reviews for me (that's only 22 more), and I will unveil the lemon… finally :P**

**SPOILER OUTTAKES FOR REVIEWERS! **


	16. Chapter 16

Twilight isn't mine. But I have so far written over 100 000 words purely by choice. I think I deserve a cookie :) Review if you agree :P

WOW! I'm blown away. I said get to 100 reviews, you went above and beyond, as always. You people rock my world, thank you so much! :D

Here we go, my very first (maybe last- if it's terrible) attempt at writing lemony goodness. HUGE thanks to my Beta Nicarla and other perverted friends that helped me write this one. WARNING: Fluff. And then lemon.

-Chapter 16-

**Cameron POV**

"Alright, spill it, Cameron," Sasha demanded, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Spill what?" I asked innocently, though I had a feeling I knew what she was talking about.

"You and Renesmee, that's what! You two have barely stopped touching each other all week! I want to know what changed with you two. You used to be, like, all no-touchy with each other," she exclaimed, frowning downwards before directing a demanding look in my direction.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair and leaning against the wall as I considered how I was supposed to answer. It was Wednesday lunch, and Renesmee had disappeared on an 'errand' that she wouldn't explain to me. That left me alone with Sasha, who seemed prepared to grill me for the entirety of the lunch period.

"Ohmigod! You two didn't….? No… She would never, not without telling me. Or would she? That little… Renesmee, you're in so much shit when I find you!" Sasha exclaimed, her face turning bright red.

"What do you-"

"Sex! S.E.X! You two slept together on the weeken-" she started shrieking but I clapped my hand firmly over her mouth before she finished her rant. I looked around me in panic, noting that a few people had looked up in the corridor but most had simply ignored her words and kept walking. There was a freshmen whose eyes looked ready to explode out of his head and I sighed, flipped him off, and then turned back to Sasha, cocking an eyebrow at her. She widened her eyes at me, as if to say 'well, _what _then?'

I groaned in frustration and let go of her mouth, looking around us quickly before lowering my voice and saying, "No, we didn't. It's not that. We…" I hesitated, wondering if I should tell Sasha exactly what had happened. It was such a human thing to do- ask the friend for advice on your girlfriend. Human, but apparently a valid option.

"We? Come on, you can trust me!" she pressed, raising her eyebrows. I sighed in surrender and looked at the ground as I spoke.

"We didn't sleep together, at least in the way you mean. But, these past few nights, I've… been sleeping in her room," I admitted, peeking up at her expression. Her face was nearly as red as her hair and she looked positively scandalised. To my surprise, she held herself in check and nodded for me to continue.

"We haven't really done… much. And that's the problem."

"You're not seriously asking me for advice on how to _pressure_ her are you? Because that is _not _on!" Sasha exclaimed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me.

"No! What the Hell? I would never, ever, force her to do anything she didn't want to," I hurried to explain. My chest tightened at the reminder of the small confrontation with Kyle on Monday in the Art room but I shook it off quickly. "The problem is that _she_… _she _wants to, but I don't think it's such a good idea."

"Oh… You don't want to?" she asked in an incredulous voice. I laughed bitterly, shutting my eyes and shaking my head.

"You have no idea…" I muttered under my breath before continuing in a louder voice. "Of course I do. But I don't know if now is exactly a good time for us." How could it be the right time? With only a few days left until the Volturi arrived to take her away.

"I don't want to sound like a Disney special or anything but, seriously? When it's the right time…"

"I'll know it. Yeah, thanks, I figured that one out already," I laughed.

I knew the cliché.

I also knew it didn't apply to Renesmee and I.

The time would never be right. Not until we returned from Volterra. _If _we returned from Volterra… I shook my head to myself, trying to rid myself of the negative thoughts. My plan was well thought out, and as long as nothing changed, everything would be fine.

"Cameron?" Renesmee's voice chimed from around the corner. My face lit up as it always did at the sound of her voice and I felt my heart perform its standard acceleration in pace. I saw her head peep around the corner and as soon as I saw her face something in me that I hadn't consciously realised was bothering me disappeared. I stepped forward and took her hand in mine, the knowledge that swept through me making my smile grow. When I held her, even touched her, I was complete.

No, more than that.

I was home.

"What are you two talking about?" Renesmee asked, twining her fingers together with mine and swinging our hands back and forth between us as she directed her gaze to Sasha. I eyed the human with a meaningful look and she stifled what looked like a giggle before answering.

"Nothing you need to worry about, my dear. How was detention?" she chirped.

"Detention?" I asked, turning to look at Nessie with an incredulous eyebrow raised. Her cheeks were flushed a light red colour and she bit her bottom lip as she stared at the ground. I brought my hand to her chin and ran my finger across her cheek. She released her lip from between her teeth and I smiled before leaning down to quickly capture her lips with mine. Our lips joined together briefly, her sweet taste infiltrating my senses. One of my hands found their natural place at the nape of her neck and I brought her still closer to me, wrapping an arm tenderly around her waist as I did so.

And then I broke away as quickly as I had initiated the kiss.

"Mine," I half growled, smoothing my thumb over her bottom lip. Her eyes which had been shut until then popped open and she smiled lazily at me. I could tell she understood my words, how I didn't want her injuring her perfect lips.

I smiled back, half considering kissing her again already. I could never get enough of her.

A loud, fake cough sounded from nearby and we both looked up to see Sasha smirking with her arms folded across her chest.

"Get a room you two!" she laughed as she retreated away from us, regarding us with an almost indulgent look in her eyes. She winked quickly at me, no doubt in relation to her parting words, and I suppressed a groan.

Nessie stiffened ever so slightly in my arms and I turned back to her. Her expression was indecipherable but looked as if it were verging on suspicious, her deep brown eyes slightly narrowed.

"So, detention? What's that about?" I asked, remembering what I'd been saying in the first place. She focused back on me and smiled somewhat sheepishly, pulling my hand so I would walk with her. We walked down the corridor for a bit in silence, simply connected by our hands.

"I may or may not have assaulted another student," she admitted quickly, staring at the lockers we passed as though they were particularly fascinating today.

I froze immediately, tugging her back to me with her hand I still held.

"Kyle? But Nessie, why? I told you if you wanted him hurt I would-"

"No, no! Not Kyle… Though the idea is not far into the realm of impossibility…" she trailed off, smiling- at the idea of hurting Kyle, no doubt.

"Who then?" I asked.

"Last week, when you were gone. Morgan was giving me crap about you and I kinda… I kicked her chair over, with her on it," she explained quickly.

I laughed hard, picturing it in my head and smiling widely at the thought of it. Bitch had it coming. I was pleased Nessie had finally stood up for herself and set Morgan straight.

"You're laughing? God, you're so weird," she muttered with a smile. I returned it and followed her wherever she was leading me. We walked seemingly aimlessly before I recognized the science building. The side door we'd once escaped through when Kyle's vile words had hurt her seemed to be her destination. He'd hurt her with more than his words since then, and the fact that I hadn't killed him yet spoke volumes about how much I had changed since I'd met Renesmee.

I'd always had a temper, a semi-violent steak; it was what made me dangerous and valuable to my old coven. That part of me had tamed slightly when I'd met Carolina, but it was obvious to me that that side of me had suppressed itself even further since I'd been with Renesmee.

She led the way out the door stopped at a shaded section of wall, leaning her back against it. She looked up at me and I joined her, going to stand by her side.

"What did they make you do in detention?" I asked.

"Ugh. Cleaning gum off the underside of tables. Freaking humans…" she grumbled, glaring at nothing in particular in front of her.

"Was it worth it?" I asked, shooting a sideways glance at her.

"Hells yes," she replied, laughing and then smirking at me. "Kyle was in detention, too. He didn't even look at me more than a few times. And not a word about my ass," she told me, smiling to herself. I gathered that it had been a long time since she'd had that kind of peace from Kyle.

"As long as you're happy," I told her honestly, even though I wasn't exactly pleased she'd been in the same room as him.

She leaned her head against my shoulder and I rested my head against hers.

"I'm also glad you stuck up for yourself. I don't know what it is about you when you're violent but…" I trailed off, not wanting to freak her out with my words. She knew I wanted her, she had to know by now. But what kind of messed up person would be turned on by violence?

Me, that's who.

I knew that, on my part at least, it was because I had been suppressing it for so long, but, whatever her thoughts about me, she didn't stop me as I tilted her face to mine again. Her hands ran through my hair, up and down my arms as we kissed. I groaned slightly; she knew exactly what that did to me, but she did it anyway. I turned so I was facing her, her back against the wall, and pulled her body closer to mine. She tilted her head back in a breathless sigh as my lips went to her neck, sucking and lightly biting the skin there, but never hard enough to break the skin. One of my hands found itself in her hair and the other grasped her around the back of her knee, lifting it up slightly so that her leg bent. I heard her quiet gasp; I was never the one to initiate that sort of thing, and I wasn't sure why I was now. I smirked as I let my fingers play at the hem of her knee-length skirt. I could hear her heart hammering loud and fast in her chest, giving away exactly how excited she was. My hand reached about two inches up her thigh before I pulled it away, dragging it back down to her knee and using it to straighten her leg back out again.

With a forced chuckle, I pulled away from her slightly, afraid of what could happen if I let it go any further. We were at school for Christ's sake!

"You… suck," she panted out, narrowing her eyes accusingly at me. I grinned.

"Sorry, Nessie, but this was really your fault," I joked.

"Oh really? How would that be?"

"That thing you do to my arms. You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said, telling half the truth.

"Oh really," her voice went low and whispery as she spoke. She leaned forward so her lips were just an inch from my ear. "Are you sure it wasn't you being turned on by me hitting Morgan?" she breathed in a seductive tone. I stiffened slightly, not sure how to reply. Damn- she'd figured me out so quickly.

"Come on, Cameron. Admit it, you like it when I'm violent. Isn't that why you kissed me after I punched Jack?" she continued, a smile in her voice.

"Fine, you win. I'll just have to be more careful around you, I guess," I replied, smiling innocently as I stepped back from her. Her eyes went wide in shock for a moment before she suppressed it, smiling back at me.

"Fine. Have it your way," she declared, walking away from me and back towards the doors to the school. Curious, I followed her.

"And where are you going?" I asked as her hand touched the door handle.

"Well if that little tease was what I get for kicking Morgan's chair over, I can't wait to see what happens when I kill her," she smiled brightly at me. My jaw fell open and I raced forward, grabbing her forearm and pulling her back to me.

"You'd better be joking," I said, glaring at her. Was she serious? She couldn't just go and kill someone because I teased her. She was innocent, so pure… She was a gentle person, I wouldn't let her kill.

"Am I Cameron?" she asked in a lilting voice, raising an eyebrow at me and not fighting my grip on her arm.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you like that. But Jesus, Nessie, you can't kill her!" I exclaimed, frowning at her.

She was silent for a moment, looking at the ground and seeming as though she were contemplating something hard. And then she burst out laughing, wrenching her arm from my now-limp grip and doubling over in hysterics. I frowned, confused.

"You!" she spluttered. "You should have... have seen you face!" she giggled.

Great. I'd been had.

Two could play at that game.

"That's not fucking funny, Renesmee," I growled, turning away so she couldn't see the glint of amusement in my eye. Her laughter died out quickly and I could feel her confused, hurt stare against my back. I waited a few seconds before I felt her hand on my shoulder.

"Cameron… I'm sorry. It was supposed to be a joke… I just, I wanted to get you back for-"

I spun quickly and picked her up around the waist, stepping forward and pressing her against the brick again. I kissed her forcefully for a second before pulling back.

"I know, silly. And now we're even," I smiled, leaning in and kissing the tip of her nose as her arms went around me.

"God, why are you so..." she trailed off, shaking her head at me with a smile on her face.

"So, what?" I asked as I lowered her gently back down to the ground.

The bell rang then, cutting off any answer she might have given me and we both sighed. I didn't want to go to class, I wanted to spend time with my girl. But, with a sigh, I turned and started walking back towards the door.

"So perfect for me…" I thought I heard Renesmee whisper. I didn't look back to make sure, instead, smiling slightly to myself as I kept walking.

**-Friday Morning- **

I woke up on my own, without any need for an alarm. A brief glance at the clock on the wall opposite me showed that it was still before six a.m. I sighed and shut my eyes again, wishing that time would slow the fuck down already. Today was the last full day I would have with Renesmee before the Volturi came. I was torn between two paths; to make the most of the day and prove my love to her as much I could- or to begin distancing myself from her as much as I could before tomorrow so it was less of a shock to her.

The latter option would be kindest to her. It would hurt her less and made the most sense. But since when did anything I do involving her make sense?

For my plan to work, she couldn't be allowed to know the depth of my feelings. Or she would at least have to think that I had forsaken her, that everything I said had been a lie. I couldn't take the risk that Aro wouldn't touch her, wouldn't know her thoughts.

Every word I'd said would seem like a lie to her.

It was the reason I hadn't told her I loved her yet.

For some reason I just couldn't bring myself to say it. Not because I didn't mean it anymore, _fuck _I meant it, but because I felt like I would ruin it. Love was supposed to be sacred. And it felt to me like the words should be, too. I didn't want to say those three little words to her until we were freed from the lies, the pain I was sure to inflict. I knew deep down that it would make it easier for hear them once we were separated from this mess with the Volturi and everyone was safe.

At least I thought it would.

I groaned softly and opened my eyes again. Renesmee was still asleep, resting in my arms like she belonged there. I smiled and pressed my lips to her temple. She stirred slightly in her sleep and rolled over to face me but her eyes remained closed, her breathing, deep and even. I freed one of my hands and used it to lightly trace her cheek bones. Her lips curved upwards but my touch had been gentle enough that she didn't awake.

She looked so beautiful in sleep- and the rest of the time for that matter- every line on her face disappeared and she looked so peaceful. Her creamy, pale skin gave her the appearance almost of a porcelain doll. But I knew she was far from doll-like. I could easily picture the way her eyes blazed with emotion when she was mad, the way her cheeks would flush at my touch, the longing look that sometimes appeared in her eyes when I would caress her skin at night. She was so alive, so fiery, so… perfect.

And I was probably going to fuck that up and ruin it.

I sighed and tried to settle back into sleep.

For ten full minutes I just lay there, willing for sleep to come to me.

Fucking nothing happened.

I sighed and sat up slowly, releasing Renesmee from my arms as I did so. She frowned and I hesitated, considering lying back down, but then she rolled back over and settled again.

Good.

Even in sleep she knew it was better to stay away from me.

I made my way downstairs, pulling my arms through the sleeves of my shirt as I did so. Renesmee seemed to have taken a liking to removing my shirt each night before we went to sleep. I smiled and entered the kitchen, noting that it was far too early to be awake. The sky was still a dull grey color, the first touches of dawn sunlight just barely making an appearance in the clouds. I sat down at a bar stool in the kitchen and put my head in my hands.

I wanted to do something nice for Nessie, but it wasn't like I could make her breakfast or anything like a normal boyfriend could. I'd already proved my ineptitude in the kitchen enough. No, if I wanted to make her a meal, it would require quite a bit of planning on my part.

Wait…

Maybe breakfast was out of the question, but what about dinner?

_Like a last meal..._ my mind suggested.

Fuck off. It would _not _be her last meal. She was going to live. She had to.

With a smile, I pulled out one of the recipe books from the top cupboard and began poring over it, my eyes desperately seeking something special, but not so fucking complicated I could never make it. I wanted it to be a surprise, but that would involve having to send her away somewhere whilst I prepared it. I wasn't having that. Not on our last day together.

My lips twitched into a grin when I flipped to a page and found something I knew she'd love. It was more of a dessert really, but I didn't care. It was just what I'd been looking for.

Simple.

Delicious.

Perfect.

Just like her.

"Come on, let's go home," I suggested as Renesmee packed her books into her locker after final period. She quirked an amused eyebrow at me before shoving the last book inside and slamming the locker shut.

"What's the hurry?" she asked, allowing me to lead her towards the exit doors.

"Something special." I smiled and winked at her as we entered the throng of students pushing for the door, every one of them anxious to start the weekend. It was ironic how I wished that Saturday would never come…

The first few minutes of the car ride were quick as I deflected each of her questions about what the 'special' something was. When I pulled up at the grocery store, she looked immediately confused.

"I'm cooking tonight," I announced, daring her with my eyes to laugh. Her lip twitched slightly but then she nodded solemnly, getting out of the car. I smiled and followed her into the store.

She turned to me and looked surprised when I immediately took off for the cereal aisle. She knew I pretty much hated all cereal but I heard her following me without a word of question. I reached for the familiar multi-coloured box and heard her laughing behind me.

"Fruit loops? What are they for?" she asked.

"For what we're cooking," I replied, proceeding down the next aisle. I looked around for mini marshmallows and smiled when I found them. I mentally flipped through the small list I'd made in my head and after visiting a few more aisles I decided I had everything I needed. Renesmee followed me wordlessly to the counter and we paid for our goods before heading back out to the parking lot.

"Fruit loops, marshmallows, chocolate…. Sounds like the makings for a great sugar coma," she joked as we drove home.

"That's just one of the things it's called," I told her, having more fun with the 'mystery' than I'd thought I would.

We made it home in no time at all and soon enough were in the kitchen unloading the few things we'd bought.

Renesmee sat at one of the bar stools and watched as I arranged things on the counter.

"Now," I began, and she perked up instantly, like she'd been merely waiting for me to address her. "I wanted to make you something on my own but… We both know that that probably wouldn't have turned out too well. So, I figured maybe you could help me," I told her, slightly anxious as to how she'd react. It wasn't exactly the most romantic thing I could have said, and I internally kicked myself for not putting more effort into it. She deserved so much more than what I could offer her.

"That sounds great," she said, smiling eagerly at me. I smiled back uneasily as she got up from the stool to read the recipe book I had just opened to the correct page.

"Fruit Loop slice?" Can't believe I've never made that before," she muttered happily under her breath. Her hand found its place in mine and I felt her squeeze once as her eyes skimmed the words rapidly. I squeezed back and felt relief wash through me.

I didn't realize until just then how anxious I had been about this. It was so difficult for me to let her in and to be close to her how I wanted, how she deserved. I was damaged, I was the faulty goods you get 10% off on at the store. But she wanted me anyway. Her hand squeeze had told me without words that she still wanted me.

Fuck it.

"Renesmee?" I said, waiting until she looked at me.

"Yeah?" she replied, her eyes deep and honest. Terror gripped me for a second and for a moment I thought I was going to back out. _No_, I needed to man-up and say it.

"I love you."

No more secrets about how I felt. Everything I had was hers and now she knew.

I watched as her eyes went wide, her mouth opening in shock. Her hand slipped from mine and I swear she shifted away from me just a bit. I could hear my heart beating quickly in my chest, the loudest sound in the otherwise silent kitchen. Her eyes were unreadable but behind them I could see her thoughts working a thousand miles a minute.

I felt my lips pull into a frown when she didn't say anything. I would have given anything for her to say something. _Anything_. The silence was agonizing and I immediately regretted my words. I'd freaked her out. Or worse- she was repulsed by my words. Why had I expected anything different? She was… she was perfect. There was no way I could ever be what she wanted.

"Y-you… you what?" she asked after a long moment of silence. Her voice shook badly and I dropped my eyes to the floor as I replied.

"I said… I said I love you," I whispered, internally cringing. Any second now she was going to say something that would shatter me. She was going to tell me she was disgusted, that she wanted nothing more to do with me.

I wasn't prepared for the assault that took place instead of words.

She launched herself at me and I stumbled backwards before finally tripping and landing flat on my back with her on top of me. I looked up into her eyes and saw them glistening with tears. It took me a few seconds to notice the wide smile on her face but the moment I did something in me was flying. She leant down quickly and kissed me fiercely, taking control and holding me down beneath her when I tried to sit up. I let her lead the kiss, taking it from fiery and passionate to tender and sweet before finally pulling away.

She let me sit up then and I did, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her in position.

"So…" I said, just for the sake of saying something.

"Do you really mean it?" she asked, her smile falling for just a second. Ha. Why would I joke about something like that?

"Of course I do. How could I not love you?" I returned, using my free hand to cup her cheek and running my thumb over her lips.

"I can think of plenty of reasons," she joked wryly, still beaming.

"And…" I began slowly. This was where it could get potentially awkward. "And you? What do you feel?" I asked. My heart stopped again as I waited for her answer. I tried to tell her with my eyes that it would be fine if she told me she didn't love me back. I didn't want to pressure her into saying it. I would be fine with whatever she said. Well, at least that's what I tried to tell myself.

"I… I love you too," she whispered, dropping her eyes the same way I had when I'd repeated my words. I tilted her chin up and then pulled her face to mine, kissing her slowly, sweetly. I wanted to savour the moment forever.

She loved me.

"Say it again," I breathed when I pulled away half an inch from her, our noses still touching.

"I love you," she whispered, smiling at me. I smiled back and rested my forehead against hers, shutting my eyes.

For a few long seconds, we were both just silent, listening to the fast beating of each other's heart.

"Now… I want my Fruit Loop slice," she announced happily, breaking the peaceful silence. I chuckled as she stood up and I got to my feet.

"Any time's a good time for sugar, right?" I clarified.

"Precisely," she replied, smiling. She went and stood back by the counter and went back to reading the recipe as though nothing had happened. I knew better, I could hear it in the way her heart still beat like it was out of control, could see it in the way her hand shook slightly as she turned the page. I went and stood behind her, wrapping my arms around her from behind and resting my head on her shoulder.

"Get me one egg, please," she asked. I chuckled as I let go of her and went to the fridge. I pulled out one plain egg and returned to her, placing it on the table.

"You're so whipped," she giggled.

"Damn straight," I replied, leaning in once again to press my lips to hers.

"There! Finally fucking finished," I exclaimed as I stared at the tray. There was a flat layer of chocolate on top and it shone in the light from the kitchen. I wrapped an arm around Renesmee's shoulder as we both stared at it in pride. I hadn't fucked it up.

"Three layers of perfection: marshmallow, Fruit Loops and chocolate. Looks kind of like a giant smore," Renesmee mused. I nodded my agreement.

"Do we cut it up now?" she asked.

"I think so," I replied. We'd already eaten dinner, picking at a pizza we'd had delivered as we cooked together. The recipe book had said it would take 30 minutes tops to make it, but then again, I doubted the people who wrote the damn thing had factored in all the making out that was involved in cooking Fruit Loop slice.

"You want to do the honours?" Nessie asked and I laughed.

"You sure you trust me not to ruin it?" I quipped, picking up a large knife from the drawer and walking over to the tray.

I was just about to cut into the chocolate when Renesmee's hand suddenly flashed into my vision. I jerked the knife away quickly but her hand hadn't been moving where I thought it was. It was like things were stuck in slow motion as I saw the sharp edge of the blade make contact with the soft skin of her hand. I heard her pained gasp and looked up to meet her eyes briefly before my eyes were drawn back to her hand. I saw the blood but at first it didn't register what I was seeing.

And then the smell hit me.

Things moved very quickly then…

**Renesmee POV**

Everything had been going great.

Cameron said he loved me.

I finally told him I loved him.

And then I had to go and mess it up.

I'd reached over his arm to try and grab the knife off him but he reacted in a different way than I had expected, twisting his arm the opposite way than what I had thought he would. That left my palm in the direct path of the knife. I glanced briefly at his eyes and saw panic, regret and surprise written on his face before I looked away again. I felt the searing pain across my palm at the same time I saw the ribbon of red blood lace my hand. It dripped slowly down my hand, red against pale white. It was almost hypnotic. The scent of my blood was strong in the otherwise pure night air and I felt my stomach clench slightly.

I looked up in panic to Cameron's eyes again and was shocked by what I saw.

His expression was murderously angry, his eyes, a deep, metallic grey. I saw his hand still clutching the knife, my blood dripping ominously from the tip. And then he did something completely shocking. He slowly drew his own finger tip down the edge of the blood stained knife, breaking his own skin.

The smell of his blood assaulted every inch of me at once, like a thousand knives of desire stabbing into me at once.

My gaze focused intently on the deep red blood that was seeping slowly out of his fingertip. He held it up between us, almost like he was showing it to me on purpose, taunting me. I grit my teeth and looked into his eyes, trying desperately to hold back the desperate thirst that threatened to break free from me. He wasn't looking at my face, however, his gaze was intently focused on my hand. Slowly, unthinkingly, I raised my own hand and held it opposite his, almost like I were waving at him.

"I want… I want to…" he began in a stranger's voice. He breathed deeply, squaring his shoulders, and without saying another word, he thrust his finger between my lips. Then, using his other hand, he pulled my bloody hand to his face, licking my wound from base to tip. Shock flitted through my brain for a brief second before it was completely overridden by something else.

Something much more dangerous.

Desire.

Red, hot, all encompassing desire.

It was delicious, alluring, dangerous… it was everything it had promised to be. The forbidden scent, the delicious aroma I'd smelt for the past month of my life was suddenly quantifiable and obtainable to me. I looked up through half crazed eyes to see that Cameron was having a similar reaction to me. I ripped my hand back from him and gripped the counter in front of me with my powerful, vampire hands as I felt my instincts taking over. I could feel myself losing it, my every ounce of control slipping through my fingers like sand on a windy day.

"Run. Get away from me," I spat through clenched teeth, barely managing to choke out the words. I knew it was my love for him that made me say it as I could feel my body tensing up for an attack. All of two seconds had passed since his blood had touched my tongue and I was ready to rip his throat out with my teeth to obtain more of the delicious red.

He didn't move and I glared up at him, feeling my body shaking with tremors of thirst as I tried to fight it off long enough for him to run away. I knew he could outrun me because he was older, but if he didn't leave soon, I wasn't so sure a head start would be able to help him.

His expression was dangerous and when he looked up at my panicked face, there was no trace of the man I loved in his eyes. As I noticed his dangerous expression, my instinct to feed, to fight, quickly disappeared, overpowered by a stronger instinct; the survival instinct.

I quickly backed up against the kitchen wall, fear and the reflex to protect myself overriding my thirst.

I blinked once and then he was in front of me, his face less than an inch away from me and one of his hands pressing almost painfully against my throat under my chin. His lips parted slowly, deliberately, and he lowered his head equally as slowly to the side of my throat. It wasn't until I felt the sharp points of his teeth pressing against my skin that I realised what he was doing.

He was going to drink from me.

Kill me.

We hadn't discussed the possibility of him losing control and attacking me; he was older, stronger and supposed to be much more immune to his vampiric urges than I was.

He was nothing _but _a vampire as his hand crept sideways to the other side of my neck, tilting my head back slightly. I fought uselessly against him, trying in desperation to meet his eyes.

He looked up from my throat to my face and suddenly his expression changed, his eyes flickering between a Cameron I knew and loved and the terrifying vampire whose every intention was to kill me and drain my body of blood.

Slowly, the pricking points of his teeth disappeared from against my neck and I felt him move his other hand to replace where his teeth had been. I breathed heavily, my blood pounding audibly in the silent room.

I couldn't believe what was happening and my heart beat insanely in my chest as I waited for him to act. One of Cameron's hand drifted slowly downwards from my throat to hover over my heart. I winced as I wondered if he was considering ripping it out of my chest. The throat would have been less painful.

When his hand moved to gently stroke the curve of my chest instead, I became immediately confused, looking up at him with bewilderment. His eyes, formerly consumed with bloodlust had been replaced with a look of… pure lust.

The silver grey of his eyes consumed me for a short second before he was kissing me fiercely, pinning me between the wall and him. His lips were hungry, powerful and dominant against mine and at first I was too stunned to respond to him. That seemed to anger him and I felt him take my bottom lip between his teeth and bite down slightly, just enough to draw a small amount of blood. The sound that came from him then couldn't be described by anything other than a moan and it made my own body react strangely. I found myself kissing him back, the slight taste of blood on my lips somehow not repulsing me but intensifying the sensation that was slowly taking control of my body.

As I felt him press against my body, I began to realise that he was overcome by his instincts the same way I had been. Rather than being overwhelmed by the self-preservation instinct, he had become possessed by a different instinct. As one of his hands snaked up under my shirt, running up and down my sides with quick fingers, groping the skin there, I realised with a start that it was a very different instinct indeed to what I had gone through.

As a male, he was responding intensely to the _mating _instinct.

It was the urgent need for sex that was overpowering his consciousness. Rather than giving in to his thirst for my blood, his body had opted for a physical release of a different kind. I was beyond pleased he wasn't going to kill me and I felt an involuntary thrill race through me as his hands continued to move freely against my skin.

I found my body starting to react instinctively and intensely to his as he continued to kiss me against the wall like a man possessed. I returned his kiss with everything I had in me and as he pushed me against the wall I pushed back, not allowing even half an inch of space between us. His arms surrounded me and held me tightly and I wrapped my arms around his neck, attaching myself to him as closely as humanly possible.

_Are we going to regret this?_ I asked myself briefly. I knew that I wouldn't, not in the slightest. I loved him and felt ready for this. I wanted this, had been willing to do this since Sunday night when he'd stopped us. He'd been the one calling the shots, stopping himself. But now… From what I could feel through his jeans, I knew he was finally giving in. He wanted it. He wanted me, badly. I doubted he would be stopping anytime soon.

I vaguely noted Cameron's hands pulling my hair of its messy ponytail as he walked us over to the stairs. I released my arms from around him as he pursued me backwards up the stairs. It took almost no time to reach my bedroom yet I found myself breathing as heavily than as if I'd just run a twenty miles.

I backed towards the bed in the center of my room and he followed me, stopping when he was an inch in front of me. He was breathing heavily and so was I, but I didn't let that stop me. I reached up and started unfastening the buttons on his shirt, working my way downwards. When I was through with them all, I pulled the sleeves off his arms and recaptured his mouth with mine.

"Nessie?" he asked me briefly between kisses, his tone sounding weird and slightly distorted.

"Yes?" I breathed, moving my lips to his neck and making myself busy. Gone was my hunger for his blood, undeniably replaced by a hunger for his body. He shuddered and pushed me gently backwards onto my bed, kneeling in front of me. I smiled as his lips met mine once more, anxious to get closer to him.

"No- wait," he shut his eyes in concentration and clenched his fists by his sides, trying to distance himself from me slightly. "I can't do this to you. Not- you're… not ready for this- want- instinct... sorry. I don't think you know what you're asking for," he gasped out, the words obviously going against what his body was telling him to do.

"I know exactly what I'm asking for. I love you too much to let go of this. Don't you _dare_ back off now," I whispered menacingly, meaning every word. I was so ready. _So, _so ready.

"But-" he started to protest but I quickly pushed myself up, taking my lips between my teeth and pressing down just enough so that the small bite mark he'd made earlier started to bleed again. I made a show of licking my lips before I leaned forward, kissing him fiercely. I knew I'd won the second his tongue touched my lips.

"Shirt. Off. Now." Cameron's words came out as a cross between a command and a moan as he gave in.

I smiled in victory, bringing my hands to the front of my shirt and tearing the top button open. I was surprised when Cameron's hands caught my wrists and he pinned them to my sides.

"Slowly," he whispered roughly in my ear, tangling his hands in my hair as he started kissing along my jaw. I wanted to ask why 'slowly' but found that what his lips were doing forced any and all questions to the back of my mind.

He recaptured my wrists as I moved my hands slowly towards my chest and I saw him smirk when I took the top button between trembling fingers. I gently popped it open and I watched as he glanced down from where he was busy at my throat.

"Mm, maybe slowly isn't such a good idea," he murmured almost distractedly, moving his hands to do the rest of the buttons for me. I almost laughed at his words but felt like maybe I would ruin the moment if I did so I kept silent, instead, allowing myself a quick smile.

Once he was through with the buttons, he pulled the red blouse off me quickly, throwing it across the room impatiently where it landed on my cupboard. He then pushed me back down onto the mattress, holding my wrists to the bed and kissing me roughly, carefully keeping the weight of his body off me. Then his kisses turned gentler, more sensual, as his lips moved from my face. He made a sweet pathway of soft kisses down around my chin and throat, brushing my collarbone lightly with his tongue. I trembled as he came to a stop at the edge of my bra and I saw him smirk from his position. And then the smirk was gone, replaced by a look of sweet tenderness as one of his hands moved behind me.

Slowly, delicately, he found the clasp and with skilled fingers he opened it, exposing my chest. I blushed as he gently pulled the garment off me and tossed it to the floor.

"You're. So. Amazing. So. Beautiful," he whispered, punctuating each word with a kiss, each one lower than the last until he was kissing my breasts lightly. Oh God his tongue was warm, his lips and teeth felt so right against me. I sighed and gave myself over to the sensations he was sending through me. He kept his lips busy with my breasts for a long time, doing things with tongue and teeth that should've been illegal- they felt so good. I got lost somewhere between him kissing me there and his face hovering over mine again as he started whispering things in my ear.

I didn't stop him as his hand moved to the edge of my skirt, in fact, I wanted him to. I wanted so badly to feel him touching me…

Slowly, his hand crept to the hem of my skirt and I nodded at him when he glanced at me in silent question. He pulled the material down slowly but kept eye contact with me the entire time, not looking down at me. Whilst I could feel myself blushing horribly, I didn't feel embarrassed anymore. With him looking at me like that, like I was the most beautiful thing in the world, I felt invincible. Once the skirt was around my ankles, he freed me quickly so I could kick it off. And then his hand resumed its position under my knee, tilting me up to him. He met my lips with a long, drawn out kiss, his tongue brushing against mine.

Then slowly, his hand crept upwards, tracing the line of the underwear I was wearing and I gasped lightly. He smiled against my lips and his fingers lightly tugged at the material, pulling it down slowly. Soon, though it felt like forever, I was completely naked before him. He kept eye contact with me the entire time, not even glancing downwards until my heart rate slowed slightly again. I knew he didn't want to rush me.

With a slow kiss on my mouth, he finally let his gaze roam downwards. I didn't blush that time, instead, taking pleasure in the way his eyes misted over with desire. He wanted me. When he looked back up to meet my eyes, I knew he could see my want, my need, _my_ desire.

One of Cameron's hands grasped me around the knee, lifting my body slightly upward so I was touching him and I hummed in approval. We kissed again, softly, sweetly, as his hold on my leg slowly moved. Every slow second he trailed his warm hand up my leg was torture and bliss at the same time and I found myself pulling his hair slightly with emotional frustration. He hissed slightly when I did and halted his advance between my legs for just a second, to give me time to adjust I suspected. Despite it, I still caught my breath as one of his fingers gently slid inside me. His finger was warm and I felt myself tensing up as he began to move it around slowly.

"Ah. You want me too," he whispered seemingly to himself. I blushed and nodded profusely. I knew he could feel my wetness and lying would get me no where now.

"Relax, let me make you feel good," he whispered against my cheek as he kissed me softly. I nodded and let him raise my hands above my head on the pillow. He kissed me on the neck and whispered luscious thinks in my ear, all the while he moved his finger with skilled and smooth strokes inside me. Small, tight circles, long torturously slow strokes.

Steadily, I felt my breath coming faster as my lower body tingled with excitement. I found my breathing speeding up and Cameron chuckled quietly when I started gasping for more air.

There was something building up inside me and I found myself wanting to feel more of him. A sudden tightening in my lower body had me gasping, aching for… something. I didn't know what it was but, oh God, I wanted it... As if he'd read my mind, he slipped in a second finger then and I panted as it moved in synch with the first. Faster and faster his hand went, jerking in and out of me in an erratic pattern. Each time he would go deeper and I would hiss with pleasure. When his free hand reached up and started tracing patterns against my throat, almost in a ticklish way, I couldn't hold back the pleasurable squeak that had been threatening to burst out of me for quite some time. His smile grew wider at that and he kept going, using his hands in a way that felt impossible, amazing, and when he touched the points of his teeth to the tender skin near my neck… I fell off the edge.

"Cameron!" I panted his name in a breathless half scream as I fell, drowning so heavily in ecstasy that I didn't notice Cameron remove his fingers and start kissing my throat again. I trembled violently as the pleasure radiated through me, coating every cell in my body with heat and bliss.

After a while, I stopped panting so heavily, but I could hear myself whimpering softly and I tried to shut up, feeling like I was ruining the moment.

"Don't stop. I want to hear you," he whispered. I smiled softly as he kissed his way down to my mouth again. Our lips met in a feverishly warm kiss and I knew it was time. The need, the urgent hunger I'd felt earlier had been slowly building while he'd pleasured me, and it had managed to satisfy me somewhat, but when he kissed me like that… Oh God, I wanted him so badly.

"I _need_ you," I whispered breathlessly between kisses, reaching down to find his zipper. His hands joined mine, and somehow, between us, we managed to get his jeans off him. Our lips never broke apart during the entire experience and the urgency between us only grew stronger as I reached down again and pulled off his boxer shorts.

I gasped slightly when I felt him against me but he silenced my lips by pressing a soft kiss against them.

"We can stop if you want," he whispered as he pulled away, our lips barely touching.

"No!" I cried too suddenly and loudly. That was the last thing I wanted to do. He chuckled and I smiled.

I felt him reach down and gently open my legs slightly. I gulped, putting my arms around his neck and holding on to him tightly. As high and excited as I still was, I couldn't deny I felt slightly scared about him actually… being inside me.

Cameron mimicked my posture, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tightly against him, except his hands rubbed gently down my sides and up the back of my neck in reassurance. We held that posture for a few long seconds before the want became too much and I dug my fingernails into his back slightly.

"Ready?" he whispered into my hair as he rubbed a gentle circle into my back. I nodded and breathed out heavily, anticipating the pain.

"I love you," he whispered before he moved.

He pushed gently and slid inside me easily, the wetness making us fit smoothly together. I couldn't stop the surprised sound that escaped my lips and he froze immediately. I paused for a second, adjusting myself, before I nodded my head against his shoulder, silently telling him to keep going. And he did. His hips moved forward, closer to me and I felt myself being stretched and widened to make room for him. A low growl came out of his mouth and I couldn't help but smile in surprise at how well our bodies fit together. He moved so slowly that when he reached the point where it became slightly uncomfortable and painful, I didn't even notice.

And then as he pushed past the peak, breaking the skin inside me, I gasped loudly and bit my lip, wincing as my teeth found the already sore spot. I felt my eyes welling up with unwanted tears as the pain ripped through my lower half.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Nessie, are you alright?" he whispered, chanting it in a shaking voice. I knew how hard this must have been for him- holding back. I knew he was fighting hard to defy his natural born vampire instincts to ravage and take his own pleasure as he wished. We were both perfectly still for a few seconds and I felt the pain gradually diminish.

"Keep going," I whispered back, the last remnants of the pain disappearing. In that second I was insanely glad for my vampirism that made me heal so fast. He kissed my shoulder gently and I felt him pull out until he was almost entirely outside me.

Gently, he moved inside me again and this time there was almost no pain accompanying it. Another breathless, excited sound escaped me and he seemed to take that as a sign that I wasn't in pain. He started moving in and out of me, slowly, lovingly, looking me in the eyes with such tenderness I couldn't stop myself from reaching up to kiss him. Gradually, as we moved together, wrapped around each other's bodies like silken strands, I began to feel that same feeling from before creeping up on me again. Rising and building with each of his movements. But it wasn't enough, I wanted…

"More," I choked out, burying my face in his shoulder as the pressure continued to build inside me.

I didn't know if he'd heard me at first but then I noticed the pace of his thrusts pick up. I felt my eyes roll back in my head a little at what he was doing to me and when he used a hand to tip my face up to his, I could barely move my lips to return his kiss. Faster and harder, less controlled his movements became and I felt myself nearing that edge again. Just as I felt myself teetering on the cliff edge, about to fall, my body instinctively reacted and I brought my hips up to meet his.

There it was again, that dizzying, incomprehensible, indescribable ecstasy. It burned inside me and a soft scream burst out of me. At that, Cameron seemed to lose the careful control he'd been exerting so as not to hurt me. And sure enough, when I looked up through half-glazed eyes to look at his face, I could see his teeth clenched in effort to hold himself back. Tenderness lay only in his eyes as his movements increased further still in vigour and pace.

I lay there, unable to move even if I wanted to, as I sensed him coming closer to his own edge. As he bent to kiss me again, smothering my mouth with his own, I wanted nothing more than for him to reach pure happiness the way I had. I started moving my hips up to meet his and let all the noises I'd been holding back escape me. He let out a low growl and his hands grasped the sheets on either side of my head. He finally started indulging in his own pleasure and I was surprised when I felt the now-unmistakable heat building again.

"Don't… stop…." I gasped out, fisting my hands in the blankets by my sides.

I thought I would just about faint from the constant bliss I drowned in when, after what seemed like forever- a blissful eternity I would happily live in- he finally seemed done. After one final hard thrust and a loud groan, I felt warm liquid within me, his arms constricting around my body as he came inside me. I cried out in pleasure and was unsurprised when my climax happened at the same time as his. We both held on to each other tightly, our breathing laboured as we came down from our highs.

A few long moments later, he slowly pulled out of me and I whimpered softly at the sudden emptiness I felt. He smiled as he moved off the top of me and leaned over to kiss me. I kissed him back, my hands gliding across his slick neck as I pulled myself closer to him. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly against his body and breathing on my neck.

"Thanks," I said, shutting my eyes in total contentment.

"For what?" he replied, equally as breathless.

"For… for making me… three times," I gasped out, glad that the endorphins in me stopped me from feeling embarrassment.

We laughed tiredly together, turning to face each other. His hand gently cupped my cheek and I felt his thumb moving back and forth, tracing my cheek bones.

"So beautiful," he whispered, sounding like he was talking to himself.

"Just… wow," I murmured, feeling all tingly just thinking about what had happened between us.

"It was… you are… amazing," he replied, sighing heavily in exhaustion.

"I know," I sighed back, snuggling closer into his side.

His soft laughter was the last thing I heard before I drifted into a deep slumber.

I knew what I would be dreaming about.

**YAY! They finally admitted their feelings! But Jaysus- that was a doozy to write. **

**Yes, there were a **_**few **_**teeny weeny changes from the teaser I sent some people, sorry, my chapters have minds of their own. They change, they twist, they breathe, they live. They own me. **

**And now I'm in exam time again. Then holidays… So, can't guarantee the next one will be out as quick as we all want it to buuuuut I promise I will not be such a slacker this holidays and I will get another chapter out.**

**Now, what you REALLY want to read about.**

**The lemon. How did I do? **

**Reviews are awesome. **


	17. Chapter 17

Twilight isn't mine, but _The Other_ one__is. Haha, geddit? 

Thanks for your reviews everyone :) I'm grateful you're all still reading, so please keep it up :)

Shout out to new reviewer friend ImprintMeJacob, thanks :)

I'm glad you liked the lemon. There may or may not be more at some later point… will have to wait and see… SORRY FOR THE WAIT, I lost my muse :( Then I found it again in the form of music, see my profile for a playlist to this story :) I'll update it as the story goes and just keep adding songs. 

Thanks Nicarla for Betaing! You deserve a medal!

This is it. The big one. The Volturi have arrived bitchez. 

-Chapter 17-

**Cameron POV**

No.

Not now.

_Sun- you rise another fucking inch I swear to God… _

Threatening the _sun_…? I had reached a new low.

But that didn't change the intent behind my madness in the slightest. Morning. How could it be morning already? The clock told me it was nearly ten a.m. but I refused to believe it. Two hours left…

"Renesmee…" I sighed inaudibly. I tightened my grip on her infinitesimally, trying to fight back everything that ran through me in that second. Her skin was so warm and soft next to mine, reminding me all too much of last night. Flashes of what had happened flitted through my mind. Her naked body, writhing in pleasure beneath mine, her face, flushed with pure ecstasy as she slowly came undone….

I smiled briefly before I remembered myself.

I'd also hurt her.

Gently, so she wouldn't wake up, I sat up and then ran my fingertips down her arm to her hand. I pulled the sheets back slightly and I bit back a gasp at what I saw. Her palm was decorated with a gash a few inches long. It was pink and looked like a human wound that had been inflicted weeks ago. She was healing fast, but that didn't make what I'd done any less horrible. I'd hurt her, made her _bleed_. I was a monster.

My actions after that were even more despicable. The scent of her pure, sweet, blood exposed like that had done things to me I couldn't even describe. It had unleashed the raw, animalistic desires I felt for her. The realisation of how close I had come to unthinkingly killing her filled me with self-disgust. If she ever died, came to harm of any sort, it would be agonizing, unliveable, I knew that with certainty. But her being hurt or…. or dying at my hand?

I couldn't imagine such a pain.

Yet, in a mere two hours, I was goingto _have_ to hurt her. It would be emotional pain, not physical this time, but I knew just how similar the two could seem. The thought of her in any pain stung in ways that didn't make physiological sense. Her words from the day before still stuck in my mind.

"_I love you too,"_ I quoted her in my head. Who was to know if she meant it, if the words meant the same thing to her as they did to me? I should trust her, trust that she would mean her words, but some small part of me still held doubts. It just didn't make sense for her to love me.

"Mmm… Cameron?" Renesmee's sleepy voice came from her pillow. I felt the bed move as she slowly sat up. Her lips pressed against my shoulder and I smiled, turning to face her.

"Uh, my hair's a mess," she protested half seriously, pulling back and burrowing into the sheets. I lay back down beside her and lifted my own part of the sheets up. She was facing me and there was a wide smile on her face. I raised a hand to her face and brushed a few strands of copper hair back.

"Authentic sex hair," I told her with a somewhat forced smile. I couldn't possibly regret last night, the night we'd finally given ourselves completely and wholly to each other. It was just that the circumstances certainly took away from what should have been a perfect experience for her. I was ashamed by my behaviour, the way I'd all but forced her initially.

"What's wrong?" she asked, taking my free hand with hers. I grimaced, chagrined; of course she knew when something was bothering me. I would have to work on my poker face in the next two hours or everything would be ruined.

"Nothing really," I quickly assured her. I didn't want to ruin the last of our time together.

"Nothing _really_? That means there's something bothering you. Tell me," she requested, her lips falling into a soft frown.

"Don't worry about it, okay? There's nothing wrong," I repeated, forcing a more authentic looking smile on my face. She sighed unhappily and straightened up, the sheet falling down at her waist. I held back my groan at her bare chest as I sat up, too.

"Why are you lying to me Cameron?" she asked simply, her eyes downcast.

"I'm not lying. Everything's fine now," I told her, linking my fingers with hers.

"Fine now… As in things weren't fine before?" she asked, her tone worried.

"I'm confused. There's nothing wrong, at all. You're making something out of nothing. What could possibly be wrong?"

"Last night. It wasn't that I… that I wasn't good enough for you?" she whispered the last part and my heart caught.

"No. God, no. You were… Last night was amazing, Nessie. You were perfect. You're always perfect." I tilted her chin up so she had to look at me and her eyes were large and expressive. "I'm the one that should be apologizing about last night," I exclaimed. Seriously? How could she doubt herself like that. That _she _hadn't been good enough for _me_?

_Three times, Cameron. I think you were good enough_, my inner, arrogant self spoke up. Cocky bastard had a point though….

"Apologize? For what?" she asked, turning to look at me with something close to fear in her eyes. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"I hurt you last night-"

"My hand was in the way and the knife was really sharp, it wasn't your fault," she said quickly. Her expression clearly said she forgave me for that, but that wasn't the only time I'd hurt her.

"Renesmee… That wasn't all. How much did it hurt when I took you last night?" I asked, cringing at the memory. I'd felt her body tense around me, heard her gasp in pain. I'd done that to her when I'd agreed to take her virginity, agreed to make love to her.

"I…" she trailed off.

"It's okay, tell me the truth."

"It hurt a lot, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?" she said, her tone almost angry.

"Of course it isn't. I wanted to hear you didn't feel a thing, that last night was as great for you as it was for me," I ranted angrily. "But that's not the truth. The reality of the fact is that I _hurt _you, Nessie. I… I don't ever want to hurt you," I trailed off, my anger immediately transformed into sadness once more.

"It was…" she said, speaking so softly I wasn't sure I heard it.

"What was?"

"Last night was definitely as good for me as it was for you. It was the best night of my life," she whispered, turning to look at me, finally. I couldn't help the reactionary smile that crossed my face at her admission. She smiled timidly in return and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I'm glad you feel that way. Please, I… I just need you to know that I'm sorry for hurting you," I requested, still flying on the inside. The best night of her life… And I had been a part of it. I internally smiled but then caught myself again; before I could move on from this, I needed her forgiveness. She looked me seriously in the eyes for a few seconds before she smiled widely.

"I forgive you, it was natural. It was supposed to hurt the first time… I'm almost glad it did," she murmured. I raised an eyebrow at her last words. "Uh- what I mean is uh, this is going to sound silly," she mumbled, her cheeks staining quickly with red.

"Tell me?" I asked, curious as to why she would be glad of the pain.

"It felt like… I don't know, like you were markingme. Claiming me as yours… or something. Silly, right?"

I groaned as I bent my face to hers, attacking her soft lips with mine. I pinned her underneath me, her warm, flesh pressing against mine in places that only made me want her again.

Claiming her, marking her as mine…. I'd been ashamed to admit that those were the some of the most dominant thoughts that had been running through my head the night before. Hearing her say them out loud, out loud and agreeing with them like they were a good thing? She was beyond perfect for me.

I loved the fact that I had been her first, and her, mine. It brought us together, bonded us in a way that was indescribable. I was the only one to see her like that, to touch her like that….

"Mine," I managed to growl in between furious kisses, my hand working its way up and down her bare back.

"Yours," she whispered back breathlessly, pulling me closer.

I smiled and chuckled grimly as I pulled away a moment later.

"I could get used to that," I admitted, trailing a finger from her lips down to her stomach. She shivered and pressed closer to me.

"Besides, you _more _than made up for any pain you caused…" she trailed off. I smiled, pleased things were fixed between us, and wrapped my arms around her, pulling us both back down into a lying position on the bed again.

Her body, so warm and close to mine, felt so right, so natural and we both smiled in satisfaction as we regarded each other.

"I love you," I whispered, knowing it would probably be one of the last times I said it today.

"I love you too," she replied, smiling deeply at me.

An hour passed and we barely moved. Neither of us seemed to want to move from the bed, to emerge from the bubble of happiness we had built. Her reasons were unknown to me, but mine were fairly obvious. The sooner we got up, the sooner I had to face reality. We both needed to wash up and dress for the day and there was little time left in which to do it.

I would not have the Volturi members walk in on her like this.

I was going to take a lot from her in an hour, but I could at least try and leave with her _some _dignity.

"We should probably get up now," I sighed, not wanting to end the playful touching, soft kisses and whispered words.

"Mmmm, yeah. I think I need a shower," Nessie admitted, blushing furiously.

"Need help?" I mumbled half to myself, watching as she stood from the bed, the sheet falling to the floor. My eyes stayed glued to her slender frame as she stretched, arching her back, the morning sun falling across her face and bringing out the red in her hair.

"Mine," I whispered under my breath, desire sweeping through me hard and fast. She froze in place.

"Yours," she promised, her eyes flaming with the same look I was sure in mine as she looked over her shoulder at me.

I got to my feet and stood behind her, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck and smoothing my hands down her stomach. I traced every curve of her body, savouring every moment left with my girl. She moaned softly and I fought back a smirk.

Then, something caught my eye on her inner thigh and I bent down to look more closely. There was the tiniest trickle of dried blood that had run about two inches down her thigh and I gasped silently, looking up at her from the floor. Her eyes were watching me carefully, and I could read in her face just how much she was afraid of what I might say. It was written across her face just how badly she didn't want me to say anything about having regrets. She didn't want to hear apologies from me, she didn't want me to hesitate or hold back from her.

I took a deep breath, straightening up, before I pulled her close to me. She sighed in relief and her eyelids fluttered closed as she rested her head against my shoulder.

"I love you," I whispered as I walked us both towards her bathroom. I heard her gasp in surprise when I followed her into the smaller room, meeting her eye in the full mirror.

"What're you-?"

"Apologizing," I informed her with a smirk, shutting the door behind me.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" I sighed, taking in her gorgeous, perfect body again. She blushed and looked down to her feet, reaching for a towel.

I chuckled, amazed how she could be embarrassed by me complimenting her after what I'd just done to her in the shower. She dried herself off with the fluffy towel and smirked when she looked up to see me staring.

"See something you like?" she teased, turning to face me, clutching the towel around her.

"Now you've gone and covered it up," I teased, tugging jokingly at the corner of her towel. She smirked, leaving the bathroom and beginning to look in her closet for something to wear.

I briefly touched my lips to her forehead in a soft kiss as I left her bedroom to go to my own and dress.

I sighed as I selected the first clothes I found, uncaring. I checked the clock again and grimaced when I saw there was only fifteen minutes left. Enough time for breakfast, but very little else. I looked around the room that had been mine for the past month and smiled ruefully; it was the closest to home I had ever felt, within these four walls, so close to the girl I'd unknowingly fallen for.

I met Nessie at the top of the stairs a few minutes later and we shared a smile as we made our way downstairs.

The scene that greeted us stopped me in my tracks for half a second and I sensed her freeze beside me. The knife I'd cut her with was lying on the countertop, her blood and mine still glinting darkly on the cold, metal blade. We walked silently forwards until we both stood near the counter. It took me a few seconds to realise this was the same positions we had stood in last night before…. everything.

"You tasted so… So fucking good," I breathed, my eyes glued to the deep red that still covered the knife. I heard her breathing pick up and a quick glance from the corner of my eye showed her looking at me, eyes wide in shock. And there was something else in her eyes, too, something a distant part of me remembered from last night.

I blinked twice and stepped backwards, away from the counter. I hadn't even realised my hand had been reaching for the blade until I'd seen her expression. She'd been _afraid _of me.

"Cameron? Are you… are you alright?" she asked, taking a tentative step towards me.

"I- yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just got a little… nostalgic?" That wasn't the right word but it would have to do. "Really, I'm fine. The bloodlust just tried to take me for a moment. It was the shock, trust me, I'm fine now," I reassured her. A relieved smile crossed her lips and she stepped close to me again.

"I was worried for a moment there," she laughed lightly and I tried to smile in response but inside I was still reeling at her words. She had been worried, afraid. Afraid of _me._ I never wanted her to feel fear, ever, and to know that she felt even the slightest reason to be frightened of me filled me with disgust and self-hatred. I cringed and forced the smile to remain on my face.

If the Volturi were exact- and part of me knew they would be- they would be here in ten minutes.

"I need to call Jacob," she suddenly said, just as I was about to suggest breakfast. I froze, turning to face her and wondering where the fuck that had just come from. I had put most thoughts of her imprinted partner out of my mind. But that didn't mean I didn't think about him at all. I had never really thought of him as competition though, until just that moment. My feelings for Renesmee had snuck up on me, and by the time I'd acted on them, I'd completely forgotten about him. But now, even the mention of his name caused insane jealousy to flare inside me.

_Soul mates_.

She already had a soul mate, and much as I wished we could both overlook that, ignore it, we simply couldn't. I wasn't so cold as to wish he were eliminated from the picture, but I had to admit to myself that the idea was tempting… What if, one day, she woke up and realised she'd made the wrong choice? That was all too likely and I felt something in me freeze as I considered that.

"Why are you calling Jacob?" I asked, keeping my tone impressively blasé.

"You were right about stuff before. He needs to be with the pack in La Push, but, this, this is too big. He needs to know about… us, to hear it from me," she explained. I nodded slowly, understanding her words. I understood, but I still didn't want her to do it.

"Alright, if you think it's for the best," I agreed, my tone slightly sour.

She chuckled softly and I looked up to see her angelic face smirking at me.

"Are you _jealous_?" she teased, walking over to me.

"No, not at all. Whatever gave you that idea?" I blurted out.

"It's your eyes. I can read you." I smiled and drew her close to me, planting a tender kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Maybe I'm a little jealous. He's your soul mate…. That's some stiff competition," I told her, resting my forehead against hers and playing with our intertwined fingers.

"Soul mate… You're right, he is. But I don't love him like I love you," she said, her voice low and honest. I smiled.

"Make the call. If it's important to you, I wouldn't stand in the way of that," I said and she smiled.

"I love you," she breathed, standing on her tiptoes to touch her lips to mine. I knew she meant it to be a gentle peck, but this was it, our last five minutes left together. There was no way she was getting away from me that easily.

She went to pull away but I grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back to me. Her surprised gasp turned to a breathless moan as our mouths met. Her lips parted willing beneath mine and I pressed her even closer to me, trying desperately to convey everything I felt before it was too late. I picked her up by her waist and placed her on the counter top, standing in between her legs. I heard her moan softly as I kissed my way down her neck. Her fingers twined in my hair, pulling it. I hissed slightly and pulled away briefly before bringing my lips back against hers. We kissed for a long moment, our lips and tongues moving in a passionate dance, before I placed a final ardent kiss against her mouth, savouring it.

"I love you," I whispered against her lips, our eyes still shut, our noses still touching.

I pulled away a moment later and cradled her head against my shoulder, burying my face in her hair and trying to embed the smell in my memory.

Jasmine, cinnamon, sweet berries and rain.

That was what I would hold onto during the coming terror.

The smell of Renesmee Cullen, the most beautiful girl in the world, the girl I loved.

**Renesmee POV**

"Jake, look, if you can't be reasonable about this then I don't even know why I told you!" I growled into the phone. He was my best friend! He was _supposed _to be supportive. I'd worried he would be sad, but angry? I hadn't anticipated him being angry with me and it stung to hear his harsh words.

Cameron was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for both of us. I tried not to think about the slightly detached, faraway look in his eyes after he'd pulled away from our kiss and refocused on the conversation with my best friend.

"How do you know you love him?" Jacob asked, and I could hear him in the background of the phone taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"We can't choose who or how we love someone." I couldn't remember where I'd heard those words before but smiled as they gave me strength.

"You've known him for a month!" Jacob ranted, obviously not agreeing with my newfound philosophy.

"You're playing that card? Really, Jacob?" I snapped angrily.

"Card? It's not a _card_,Nessie! I care about you, I don't want to see you get hurt by this."

"Well right now, _you're_ the one who's hurting me. I can't believe you're angry about this. I thought you'd be happy for me…" I trailed off, my anger melting away slightly as I remembered why I'd called him. I'd wanted someone to know, someone to be happy for me. I'd also thought that Jacob would appreciate hearing it from me. I hadn't heard from him since he'd seen Cameron and I holding hands a few weeks ago at the grocery store. It'd been hard, but I'd done what I'd thought was right and gave him space.

"You thought I would be happy the only girl I will _ever _love, the girl that is supposed to be _mine_, is in love with a fucking vampire?"

I froze.

Slow seconds passed, the time ticking by painfully.

"Nessie… I'm-"

"Save it, Jake! I don't want to hear it," I cut him off.

I heard his frustrated growl through the phone and frowned at the ground. I was angry and hurt, but more than that, I was shocked.

I knew Jacob loved me, I'd always known. Just like how he knew I loved him. But… Never before had it really dawned on me that he felt anything romantic towards me. We were imprinted together, best friends, soul mates….

But I knew we would never be lovers.

I had no desire to be with him that way, something I had always thought he'd accepted.

Apparently not.

"Jake, listen, I gotta' go."

"Wait, please, just don't go yet!" he begged, instantly contrite.

I sighed, wondering if hanging up was the best option, when, abruptly, a movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. At first I thought it could be Cameron, but then I caught a flash of dark grey, pale white skin and red eyes that screamed death and danger. My fingers tightened around the phone as I drew in a shuddering breath.

"Renesmee Cullen. It's been too long," a male voice greeted me in the dulcet tones of a full vampire. It wasn't Cameron, but I did recognize the person.

"Demetri," I breathed, my rapid heart rate the only other sound in the room.

"You remember," Demetri said, sounding almost pleased with my answer.

"You're the one that led them to us. You're the tracker," I said in a shaking voice, the phone falling out of my hands and smashing on the floor, forgotten. I could remember faint things from that cold winter's day over 7 years ago, and the nature of this vampire's power had been one of the things etched into my memory. He had been one of the main targets, the main person my family had wanted to take down so that escape would be possible for some from our side. Possible for _me. _

"Ah, so you remember my power. Then you'll realise just how pointless it would be to run now," he continued in an even tone, smiling politely at me, malice only barely detectable in his deep burgundy eyes.

"I… Why are you here?" I asked the first question that popped into my head.

"I'm here for you. Come, we mustn't keep Aro waiting any longer."

The mention of Aro's name snapped something inside me and the fear in me doubled. Demetri was going to take me to Aro, to Volterra. My parents had told me of the Italian city, chilling descriptions of cold, stone walls and winding passages. A strange feeling of claustrophobia came over me as I stared at Demetri from across the room.

"No. I won't go with you."

"Oh really?"

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" I cried angrily.

"It's not nearly that simple. Now, stop being difficult, if you come without a fight Aro would be much or amenable to certain requests you might have," he said, the friendliness in his face disappearing.

"Requests? What could I possibly want from _him_?" I said in a disgusted voice.

"Perhaps…. to see your family," Demetri trailed off with smirk.

I gasped- relief, horror, shock and anger ripping through me simultaneously. He knew he'd hit home and I watched as his smirk grew.

"They're unharmed?"

"It's extremely difficult to harm a vampire, but you know that. For the purpose of you question, however, they are fine. And you will get to see them, if you come with us now."

I paused for a moment, considering, whilst trying to surreptitiously look for Cameron. Why wasn't he here? Surely he would have heard Demetri enter and talk to me. I listened and heard a heartbeat, relaxing slightly as I realised Cameron was alive. I sighed and turned my attention back to Demetri, wondering what I would do.

Part of me wanted desperately to go with him, to go and see my family again, make sure they were alive, see them with my own eyes. But there had to be an ulterior motive behind taking me there. What could they want with me? I knew my family wouldn't want me there, they would want me to stay far away from the Volturi. What would happen to Cameron if I went with Demetri? I hoped they would leave him out of this. Ever since he'd told me of his power, I'd worried about Aro finding out about him.

"Just co-operate," I heard Cameron's voice say, but it didn't sound like him. An icy, resentment tinged his words. I looked up to see he had entered the room while I'd been thinking.

"Cameron, no. We can fight back, we don't _have _to do anything," I exclaimed, surprised that he was trying to get me to co-operate. I had expected the opposite.

"Shut up. Just do what we say," he said, his voice detached and angry, his eyes distant. I gasped, shocked and hurt by his words.

"What… I don't understand. Cameron, why are you agreeing with him?" I asked, confused and still recovering from his words.

"Don't you get it? I don't have to do _this_," he motioned angrily between himself and me, "-anymore. I'm with the Volturi," he said, his voice harsh and cold. I looked at him- the grey oceans of his eyes, the eyes I loved, were swirling with anger and contempt; I could read the message loud and clear.

Cameron was one of the Volturi.

No.

No, he was my friend, my…. Last night….

"I… But you said…" I mumbled stupidly.

"I'm an excellent liar. And you, well, you were even easier than I thought," he said, ridiculing me with an arrogant smirk on his face.

I felt tears form quickly behind my eyes and, for once, I did not wipe them away. I couldn't.

Couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

There was a great pain in my chest, like I'd been stabbed repeatedly in the place where my heart was supposed to be. It felt like I had no heart anymore. I'd given it to Cameron, it was his. It was now clear he didn't want it, he never had. That didn't change the fact that he still held it, it was gone from me.

There was absolute silence for a full ten seconds before Demetri spoke up.

"Go pack her a bag, Aro wants her to be as comfortable as possible," the Demetri ordered Cameron. With a stiff nod, Cameron left the room, ascending the stairs quickly. I felt my eyes drop to the floor. There was silence, apart from the distant sounds of Cameron rifling through my drawers and wardrobe upstairs. I didn't know how I felt about him going through my things; I couldn't summon an opinion about him at all right then.

"Would you like to get in the van now or are you going to be difficult?" Demetri asked when we heard Cameron coming back down the stairs a few short minutes later.

"I…" My voice broke when I spoke and I took a deep breath to try and clear my head. I opened my mouth to speak but didn't get a chance to voice my answer because Demetri didn't seem to have the patience to wait. In the time it took for me to realize he had moved, my arm was locked in an iron grip and I was being forcibly dragged to the front door of the house. I resisted the urge to try and break free of his grip, knowing I would be unable to escape from his icy fingers.

"Were you instructed to break her arm?" I heard Cameron comment in a sarcastic voice as he walked behind us towards the large, black van waiting outside. I caught a glimpse of his face and saw how his eyes were narrowed in anger. His eyes snapped to me then and I flinched under the livid intensity.

Demetri made no verbal response to Cameron's words, but I did notice the pressure on my arm let up slightly. I almost looked up at Cameron again, but then I remembered myself. Lies. It was all a lie.

I felt my eyes begin to tear up again and cursed myself. Crying wouldn't help anyone. Least of all me. I had to try and ignore my feelings for now and focus on a way of getting out of this. It would be difficult to function when all I could feel was empty, but I would have to try.

The vampire released me after opening the backseat door of the van. I looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows in silent challenge, practically daring me to try to run. I frowned and got into the car. The interior was dark, only a dim light illuminated the black leather interior. It was separated from the front cab of the van by thick, tinted glass that I couldn't see through, though I had the feeling Demetri would be able to see through it. There were three seats and I slid across to the furthest one and tugged on the opposite door handle furiously. It barely moved and I nearly groaned as I realised that, of course, the car had been made with some sort of special metal that would prevent me from busting my way out.

Demetri threw my bag in with me and shut the door before climbing into the front seat. I heard Cameron open the passenger side door and get in before the car rumbled to life, settling to a low purr as we tore along the driveway. I tucked my legs up under my chin and buried my head in my knees, taking deep breaths.

I tried to think logically, organising my thoughts as best I could under the circumstances.

I was being captured by the Volturi and had no choice but to co-operate. There was no telling what the vampires wanted with me, if I would ever return. My very life could potentially hang in the balance.

Then why did capture by dangerous monsters not seem so bad?

Cameron didn't love me.

Every single word, touch, moment, between us had been a lie.

I couldn't stop the tears from spilling over, my body shaking with silent sobs as the car sped on the way to the prison that no doubt awaited me.

"If you so much as think of running…" Demetri left his threat unfinished as he opened the car door for me. After nearly an hour of complete darkness and silence, I blinked rapidly at the sudden intrusion of sound and peered around Demetri's frame to see where we were. A stone wall was behind him and I could only barely see it. There was almost complete darkness and I guessed that the moon was hidden tonight.

"We're in Italy?" I asked, confused. The last thing I knew I'd been boarding a plane…

"Of course. If you make a scene or try to escape in public, know that what will be waiting in private will not be pleasant." I shivered at Demetri's reply and nodded in surrender.

The plane ride from the Portland PDX international airport was many hours and I must have fallen asleep somewhere on the way. I was briefly curious about who had moved me from the private plane to the car, but when I felt Demetri's cold hand reach out and pull me roughly to my feet, I got my answer. Cameron obviously would want to avoid touching me. Why was I disappointed? Had I _wanted _Cameron to touch me?

He had barely spared me a glance since we left the house in Lytton. I was still numb in regards to my feelings about him. All I knew was the incredible misery he had left me in, nothing about what I was going to do about him now…

"Are you taking her to see Aro?" Cameron spoke up suddenly, appearing on the other side of me to Demetri, staring past my shoulder. His face was set in an impassive mask and it almost seemed like he was deliberately avoiding looking at me.

"Yes. He wishes to see her immediately. Come on, follow my lead," Demetri ordered, leading the way forward, but angling his body slightly towards me to ensure I didn't try and stray away. Cameron walked on the other side of me, his eyes looking anywhere but at my face. There didn't seem to be any humans about, but that didn't stop me hoping that perhaps one would be out for a night time stroll and would see me. Surely I looked enough like I was here against my will for someone to help me? Then again, this was the vampire capital of the world. No lowly human could help me.

We followed an alleyway of sorts through the silent city. Cobbled streets and shuttered windows greeted my eyes and I couldn't help but shiver with how sinister and deserted everything looked. After a few minutes of walking, Demetri suddenly directed us sideways through another alleyway. This one was smaller than the last and I could see a door at the other end. When we reached it, Demetri reached out a hand and knocked three times.

I heard a human yawn on the side of the door and lumbering footsteps approaching it.

"Do you have any idea what time it-" the male human started to groan, but his face and voice froze when he realised who he was talking to. "Master Demetri, I-I apologize. Please, come through," he hastened to correct himself, his thick Italian accent causing his words to run together. He stepped back, gesturing for us to enter and Demetri pulled me through the small space with Cameron following us through.

The human's eyes went wide when he saw how I was being pulled along, obviously realizing I was not there by choice. I stared at him, practically begging him with my eyes to help me. Sure, there wasn't much chance he could face off against a full vampire- _and a half vampire_, I reminded myself bitterly- but maybe he could do think of some way to help me. The human stared back at me, his eyes deep and regretful.

Demetri dragged me forward then and I stumbled, following him blindly.

"Mi dispiace," I heard the human murmur quietly as I was pulled away towards a long, tunnel-like corridor.

_Yeah, I'm sorry, too_.

We passed through innumerable corridors, alleyways and climbed and descended many flights of stairs. It occurred to me that they were doing it so I wouldn't be able to find my way out, but I didn't believe that my escape would be so simple as remember the various twists and turns anyway, so I simply followed, not really noticing where we went. I did notice that the ground sloped downwards more often than not, and the temperature went down with the slope. I shivered and focused on where I was placing my feet so I didn't fall over.

We passed many doors and I wondered if any of them led to my parents or the rest of my family. I couldn't help the hope that swept through me and turned my thoughts to them, in case my father was listening.

_Daddy? Are you there? I'm here, they've captured me. I don't know if you can hear me or not…. But if you can hear me…. I love you, and tell Mom I love her, too._

After what seemed like forever, we came upon a large wooden door. Without knocking, Demetri swung the door open and stood back for me to enter. The room was well-lit and decorated with expensive looking furniture. There was a suede living room set and a large bed with a matching patterned bedspread. Ornate vases filled with colourful bouquets adorned mantels and side tables around the edges of the room. There was a large mirror that took up the whole space on the wall on one side of the bed and I frowned as I looked around me, surprised that there was no body in this room.

I turned to look at Demetri in confusion but he merely smirked at me.

"Aro will be here once he is finished attending to other business. Please make yourself comfortable," he sneered. "You're to stay with her until Aro arrives. Don't let her escape or you know what the consequence will be," I heard Demetri threaten Cameron. I saw Cameron stiffly nod and then he stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. He huffed at the empty door, not turning to look at me. I frowned and went to sit on the bed, ignoring how comfortable it was.

The silence was thick and extremely awkward. Cameron was still standing there at the door, facing away from me. That annoyed me, infuriated me, for some reason. I quickly reached down and pulled off one of my sneakers, taking aim and throwing it at his back with all the force I had. He must have heard it whizzing through the air, he should have had time to dodge, but instead, it caught him straight on in the back. I heard the impact and couldn't help but cringe.

_No. _He_ hurt _you_. He deserves more than a shoe to the back,_ I tried to justify myself.

I froze, waiting for Cameron to react. He sighed angrily, bending down to retrieve my shoe where it had landed a few feet away from him. He turned slowly and faced me, directing a pointed gaze at me. He had an eyebrow raised as if in question and I couldn't hold back the low growl that escaped me.

He laughed sardonically and walked towards me slowly, that annoying smirk still on his face. He stopped moving when he was right in front of me where I sat on the edge of the bed, dropping slowly to his knees in front of me, still smirking. I shifted uncomfortably, wondering what he was doing, when I saw him lift the shoe up. He took my foot in one hand and smoothly slid the shoe back onto my foot, finally looking away from me to relace the laces that had come undone. I sat perfectly still, completely unsure what to do. I'd been prepared for anger, frustration, but not this.

I'd spent the last 12 hours completely numb, shutting Cameron out and any feelings I had for him. Now, with him on his knees before me, smirking that damn devil smile of his, I couldn't help myself.

I was mad.

No, worse than that.

I was pretty fucking pissed off.

He'd lied to me. Used me. Taken advantage of me… And he'd helped capture me to bring me _here_.

My body acted of its own accord, the foot he still held in his hands delivering a swift, but forceful, kick to his chest. He flew backwards and I heard him splutter a few times in shock and pain. I ignored that, springing lithely to my feet and sprinting towards the door. I already knew I wasn't getting far, but I had to admit that I was surprised when I felt Cameron's hand catch my wrist before I even got the door open fully.

He tugged on my arm, causing me to stagger backwards into him. I gasped, and tried to fight my way out of his grip. My flailing proved pretty ineffectual and I soon found my arms pinned behind me. Cameron didn't waste the opportunity and practically threw me back on the bed. I looked up in anger, breathing heavily in exertion.

"Don't. Do. That. Again," Cameron panted angrily, glaring at me and rubbing a hand on his chest where I'd kicked him.

"What are you going to do about it?" I challenged heatedly. He glared at me and made no answer. I smirked. "I'm serious. Are you going to hit me? Tie me up so I can't escape?" I suggested in a dark voice, knowing that on some level, I was getting to him.

His expression changed suddenly and I was annoyed to see his smirk return. He leant over me so quickly I didn't have time to react and was practically straddling my waist before I realized he'd moved.

"I know you'd like that, wouldn't you? You'd love for me to tie you up," he whispered in a rough undertone. He was so close to me, his lips just inches from the place on my neck he'd grown so familiar with recently.

_Lies. _

I growled and put both hands on Cameron's chest, pushing him off me. He didn't struggle or fight me at all and smoothly stood up at the foot of the bed. He backed away slightly as I stood up and glared at him, annoyed that he was taller than me and I had to look upwards slightly to meet his eye.

"You don't get touch me like that… _ever _again," I swore, meaning every word.

Anger was good. Anger helped me push through the pain, loneliness and fear.

"Not until you ask for it," he promised darkly, winking at me.

My hand shot out and my loud slap rang out in the otherwise silent room. Cameron stepped back and rubbed his jaw with one hand, chuckling lightly. My body shook with anger and i grit my teeth, shutting my eyes to try and block out his face.

Yeah, anger was great, but pain lived just beneath it.

**Cameron POV**

Wow.

She slapped me.

I would have been shocked if I hadn't known I'd deserved it- and then some.

Acting like a sleazy jerk was probably only making her hate me more, but for now, I had a role to play. If this stopped Aro from being suspicious, then it would hopefully be worth it. I just hoped she would understand.

The sound of light footsteps outside the door broke through the tense silence and Renesmee and I both looked up for the source of it. The door swept open and in walked one of the people I hated most in the world. Aro traipsed in, a delighted smile on his ancient face. His personal guard followed him in; one female vampire remaining so close behind him she might have been his shadow, and another standing by the door. I froze as I recognized the second figure.

Jane was there, standing on one side of the room and smiling angelically in Aro's direction. I suppressed a shudder and stayed rooted to the spot, not wanting to draw attention to myself. I could feel my heart rate accelerate as I watched Jane's eyes flicker towards Renesmee. Fuck no. I had no fear for myself, only for Renesmee. If that little vampire bitch even thought about hurting Renesmee, I would end her.

"Renesmee, sweet heart. Welcome," Aro greeted Renesmee cheerily, stepping toward her. I fought back my instincts to step between them and allowed him to get close to her.

"Aro," she replied curtly, nodding her head stiffly once.

Aro seemed to notice me just then and turned his head towards me.

"Cameron, welcome back. You did a fine job, though it took longer than I had hoped," he mused, looking me over with a curious eye. I managed to smile robotically as I replied.

"Yes, it was a long time, but she's here now."

"Indeed she is. I believe I'm done with you for now. You may go and find your friend, but I wish to speak with you again before you leave my city," Aro said, dismissing me. I nodded and tried to avoid looking at Renesmee before I turned my back. I walked over to the door and opened it, everything in me, desperate to turn around and step in the path of the threats to Renesmee. I glared at the ground and took a deep breath before leaving the room.

I shut the door behind me and the click sounded so final.

I took a step away from the door but hesitated when I heard her voice from the other side of the door.

"Don't touch me, Aro," Renesmee's voice protested. I knew he was going to read her thoughts, I'd known it all along, but I couldn't help but agree with her. I didn't want him knowing what had passed between us any more than she did.

"Now, Renesmee, if you would just co-operate, you could make life a lot easier for yourself," Aro replied, his tone oozing false sweetness.

"I don't want you near me. I'm here, you've got what you wanted. You have no need to look into my thoughts."

"I'm going to ask you one more time to stop being difficult," Aro warned, his cool demeanour giving way to slight frustration.

I released a breath when I heard complete silence and started to retreat, walking down the corridor. I was nearly ten steps away when I heard the screaming begin. My blood ran cold as I heard Renesmee scream in agony. I turned to face the door again, my eyes boring into the door. I knew without seeing it happen that it was Jane using her terrible gift on Renesmee.

Every scream tore at me, stripping away all the excuses I'd used to lie to Renesmee all day. Her screams grew louder, more tortured and I felt my vision blur slightly. I heard her scream my name, a desperate cry for help, and I clenched my fists by my sides. There was no way I could take Jane on myself.

Taking a deep breath, I straightened up and turned my back on the door.

I started to move, mechanically shuffling my feet forward. I felt a drop of moisture on my cheek and blinked rapidly. I wiped furiously at my eyes and stared straight ahead, trying to block out the sound of my love's agonised shrieks.

Unable to take it anymore, I clapped my hands over my ears and I ran.

**Okay. There we go. **

**Who hates the Cameron right now? *raises hand* It's okay. He has a plan. I think….**

**I'm sorry for making Cameron into a bit of an ass in this one, but it had to be done… Did I make anyone cry? This fascinates me, I just wonder if it's possible. Probably not, though. **

**Who went and saw Eclipse? **

**REVIEW AND TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS? OR SUGGEST SONGS FOR THE PLAYLIST?**


	18. Chapter 18

Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. A terribly irregular updating schedule, and this story, belong to me. 

You know the drill by now readers; I suck. I'm a horrible author and I leave you hanging. My excuse is writer's block and school, yeah, I'm not proud of it. School has just been so crazy, it's unbelievable… I've said it once, I'll say it again, SORRY EVERYONE :(

Dedication to my pals LunaXstellar and X LittleMissDreamer X. Check out their fanfics ok? 

Thanks to Nicarla for beta'ing, here it is, I finally named a character after you :)

-Chapter 18-

**Renesmee POV**

"I'm going to ask you one more time to stop being difficult," Aro said, his deep red eyes boring into mine. I blanched for just a second, fear almost making me submit, but then I remembered why I couldn't let him in my head.

The fact that Aro had been the one ordering Cameron to lie to me, to hurt me, didn't matter. I was embarrassed, ashamed that Cameron had been so easily able to manipulate me. I had fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. Fallen for _him, _I should say. I didn't want Aro knowing exactly what I'd thought about Cameron, I didn't want him knowing things, seeing things that had passed between us. I'd shared my first intimate moments with Cameron; he'd been my first kiss, the first man to lay eyes on my naked body…. And the one to take my virginity, my virtue.

Those moments, experiences, they had all been lies, tools, all a part of Aro's master plan. I could barely fight back tears at the mere thought of all I'd shared with Cameron, yet….

No matter what I felt now, at the time, they had been the best moments of my life.

I didn't want Aro knowing them, seeing them, sharing them.

I looked back up to meet his eyes and shook my head vehemently. He nodded once, and for a second, just a second, I thought he was going to leave me be.

Oh no, how wrong I was.

Aro's eyes had but to flicker once to the female vampire in the corner of the room, and then I felt it. Knives, stabbing relentlessly; white hot metal pressing into my flesh; acid biting into my skin; fire in my stomach, trying to burn its way free from my insides. I couldn't think of any adequate comparison to the excruciating agony I was in, all I knew was I had only once experienced worse pain.

Time lost meaning, all I knew was the screams that fell from my lips. "Cameron!" I somehow felt my lips form his name, a subconscious plea for help that I hadn't realised I'd made until I'd already heard it leave me. I'd known of Jane's power and could remember how, as a child, it had almost fascinated me as much as it scared me. I'd asked my mother about it once- her face had taken on a strange, faraway look and her answer had been clipped. I'd taken the hint that it was a touchy point for her and had never brought it up again.

Distantly, I could hear my screams reverberating off the stone walls as they grew louder. A small part of me wondered if anybody who heard me would be able to help, but then I remembered where I was and my hope faded as quickly as it had flared. Hours or minutes passed, I don't even remember how long I suffered, waiting for the pain to subside. Eventually, it did, though it took me a few moments to realize it.

I gasped, unsurprised that when my eyes opened, I was lying on the ground, still shuddering. I drew in shaky breaths, my muscles remaining braced, preparing for a second onslaught of agony that I knew could start at any moment.

"Renesmee, get up," Aro said, his voice once again filled with sugary sweetness. He sounded completely detached from what he'd just witnessed, what he'd just ordered to happen. I shivered, placing a hand to my forehead and pulling it away to examine the light sheen of perspiration that had beaded across my skin during my suffering. I was still panting heavily as I got to my feet, swaying unsteadily and reaching out to grab the banister of the bed to stabilise myself.

I looked up slowly, seeing how Aro's face was stretched in a smile that showed his teeth, attempting to look welcoming. I repressed a shudder and slowly extended my hand, noting that it was still trembling. I hated to surrender, but I could not endure _that _again. Ever. I'd rather die. Aro took a step forward, waving away his guard's attempt to shadow him as he approached me. His eyes stayed trained on my hand as he stepped forward alone, extending his hand eagerly, as though accepting a handshake from a friend, not someone he had just had tortured.

I cringed when his icy palms connected with one of mine and I forced my breathing to remain even. His eyes shut and he looked like he was concentrating very hard, a light smile on his lips. I watched him for a few seconds, noting the tiniest changes in his face and wondering what they could mean. Did that twitch of his lips mean more punishment? I found myself almost repulsed by what I was seeing and looked away from his chalky complexion, wondering what he was possibly reading into my memories. Was he going to watch my entire life flash before him? Like some kind of twisted TV show? I certainly hoped not, and tried to distract myself from that by looking up around the room.

My eyes met red ones across the room. I felt my mouth open slightly in shock as I took in Jane's appearance properly for the first time in over seven years. She was short, reminding me almost of Alice with her petite frame. Her black cloak covered most of her, only the ends of her mid-length fair hair peeking out of her hood. She met my gaze evenly, the tiniest trace of a smirk on her angelic face. I frowned and looked away, not wanting to draw attention to myself, just in case that encouraged her to torment me with her power again. I was co-operating for the moment, but something in her smile told me that that hardly made a difference to her.

I couldn't help but think back to the movie I had gone to see with Cameron and the others so long ago- _Death Stare_. I wondered vaguely if Jane had seen it, or knew how eerily similar she was to the main character. It was a strange, sporadic thought that seemed to be serving no other purpose but distraction, but I held onto it like a lifeline. My eyes flickered over Jane once more and I tried to ignore the chill that crept through my veins.

I tore my gaze away from her, instead, I looked at my feet. My eyes quickly found the shoe that Cameron had just put back on my foot and I felt my chest tighten again. To my surprise, Aro laughed just then, releasing my hands and stepping away from me, a bemused expression on his face. His guardian stepped forward to meet him, one of her hands quickly finding a spot on the back of his cloak.

I looked nervously up at Aro, wondering what his next course of action would be. He merely stared back at me, his head cocked slightly to one side as he regarded me, like I was piece of artwork on display.

"Well, this _is _unexpected…" he muttered. He didn't elaborate on what 'this' was, so I simply stood there, waiting for him to break the silence first. I'd grown up with vampires, I was half one myself, I knew exactly how long they could be still like that, silent and unmoving as the world hurried by without them.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait very long, less than a minute, before Aro spoke again.

"You must accept my apologies, young Renesmee. Believe me, I had no hand in what played out this past month between you and the young gentlemen. His orders were merely to bring you to Italy. The needless pain you feel now must be attributed to him alone," Aro said, his face, to someone who didn't know better, looking almost compassionate.

I froze again, not entirely sure what he meant, but knowing that whatever it was could not be pleasant. Aro waited patiently while I pieced together his words.

"Are you saying that… he wasn't ordered to make me lo-…. t-to make me have feelings for him?" I clarified, my brow furrowing in disbelief.

"I'm afraid not. That was his choice alone to make you believe such things. An obscure tactic, yes, but if it is one that has led you here to my home, I cannot regret it," Aro replied.

I just stared at him, unsure what to do.

"We'll leave you to your privacy, for now. Your bag will be brought up shortly and there is an intercom by the door that you can use to contact someone if you need anything. Oh and," Aro paused, turning his back and heading for the door, "-there will be a guard outside at all times," he finished, not even bothering to look back at me as he and his guard left the room. I locked eyes with Jane once more as she followed her master out of the room, flashing me a satisfied smirk before leaving. The door shut behind them and I exhaled loudly.

I sank back down onto the bed where I'd been earlier, just breathing, blinking and trying to hang on as long as I could. I picked at a loose thread on the comforter, trying to distract myself. _It's okay, it's fine. Just pull yourself together, Ness, come on…_

My fingers curled in on themselves tighter, until I felt my fingernails beginning to pierce the skin. I looked down and saw the slight line on my skin, the fading scar from the knife.

That did it, finally pushed me over the edge, broke me.

I felt the tears drip down my face as I buried my head in my knees. I sobbed quietly at first, trying to hold back and retain what dignity I had left, but then I realized how little point there was to that.

It didn't matter what the guard outside thought.

It didn't matter what Aro, Caius or Marcus thought.

My sobbing became louder, more broken, and I buried my face in one of the pillows and wept. I wept for my parents, for the torture I'd just endured, for my predicament, and I wept because none of that seemed to matter. The only thing that mattered was Cameron, his lies, his betrayal.

Had that been his plan all along? To break down my defences, to get in my head and my heart, so that when he finally did turn on me, the result would be that much more devastating? Well, if that was the case, his plan worked.

I don't know how long lay on that bed, crying, my body wracking with anguished sobs. When it finally felt as if I had no more tears, all I had to do was remember his face, his smile, his words, and then I was right back on square one. It didn't help that his scent lingered in the room, even on the bed where he'd been earlier. I tried to tell myself not to care, to just let my feelings go. He was just a boy, just a stranger.

Jacob was right. I'd known him a month. I shouldn't have trusted him, this was really my fault.

When, finally, my eyes dried of tears, my throat was left raw and painful. I felt empty, like I physically couldn't cry any more, like all the emotion in me had bled out of me in my tears. I sat up slowly, wiping my eyes with my sleeve and cringing as they were still red and sore. I wasn't sure what to do, I mean, it wasn't like I could go anywhere. I looked around myself in subdued curiosity, wondering why my prison was so lavishly decorated. I didn't know what Aro wanted from me, but I could see he had spared no expense in furnishing this room. It was a lot bigger than I had originally realized, a separate section expanding down a wide corridor that I had overlooked when I first got there.

I couldn't tell if it was daylight, as there were no windows in my room, but a quick glance at one of the side tables displayed an alarm clock telling me it was 6 a.m. I was jetlagged and emotionally exhausted, but I didn't want to sleep. Sleep would just be another way that _he_ could hurt me. I'd always had vivid dreams, and I knew that dreams could not exist without nightmares. I didn't doubt that my dreams would be filled with pain, with loss. I didn't doubt that they would match reality all too well.

Still, I wanted my clothes with me. I remembered that _he_ had packed me a bag, but I hadn't seen it since I'd arrived in Italy. Then, I remembered Aro's words about an intercom on the wall.

With a frown I stalked over to it, the unthreatening silver box, and smashed it with my fist. The box fell apart in metal pieces on the floor. I didn't _need _anything from Aro. Just then, I heard someone outside the door curse loudly in surprise. I froze as I heard the voice, listening harder to see if they would talk again. There was no sound, and for a moment, I was disappointed, but then the door wedged open a crack.

"Did you just break something?" a voice asked me. I nearly gasped in recognition, feeling my heart rate accelerate. I reached out and pulled the door wide open so I could be sure. The door opened easily and I took in the appearance of my guard. I recognized him immediately, but wasn't entirely sure if I was happy to see him or not. I was more than confused as to how the Hell he ended up in Italy, but then I remembered who he kept company with and I felt my confusion turn to bitter resentment.

"Why, hello, Renesmee," he greeted me with a smirk.

"Are you my guard?" I asked curiously, unable to stop myself from asking.

"Yeah. I was told to stay out here, but it's so fucking cold. Mind if I come in?" he asked. I hesitated for a moment and he spoke again. "Come on… you wouldn't run away from me, would you?" His voice was persuasive, velvety smooth and inviting.

I knew this guy was dangerous. Cameron had told me so.

Fuck that.

If Cameron didn't like him, then I decided that _I_ did.

"Sure, Jack. Come on in."

**Cameron POV**

God fucking damn it all.

All I could hear was Renesmee's voice in my head, begging me for help. I'd made it to the end of the corridor and followed several more, but I could still hear her. Her screams resounded in my head, even though I knew they had to have stopped already. The sound of her pain would haunt me forever, of that, I was sure.

It was hard to believe I'd walked away, I could scarcely comprehend where I'd found the will power to do it, but I had. And now I was here, outside the door where they had been keeping Carolina for the past month. I tried my best to banish thoughts of Renesmee from my mind, tried to push past everything that was happening right now and just allow myself the slightest relief.

I approached the huge wooden door, surprised that there was now a guard stationed outside Carolina's room. A female vampire with brown, stylishly short hair was stationed in the corridor. Her red eyes passed over me and she frowned, as though she didn't understand why I was there.

"Who are you?" she asked in an even voice, her words betraying a vague sense of animosity towards me.

"I'm Cameron, her brother. Get out of my way," I ordered, beyond caring that the vampire was no doubt older and stronger than I was. I was completely empty inside, I'd destroyed one of the very few things that made my life worth living, all for Carolina, and this vampire was not going to stop me from seeing her.

"Oh, it's you. The half breed."

"Yeah, what of it? Who the Hell are you?" I snapped, feeling my temper flare. The past month, I had held my temper in check, but now, this insignificant vampire was getting in my way.

"I'm Nicarla, one of the guard. It would be wise to show some respect," she said, narrowing her eyes at me in distaste, as though she would like nothing more than to kill me.

"Great. Just great. Move. Right now. You're not getting in the way of me seeing my sister," I said. I knew I was probably making things worse for myself, but I just couldn't deal with this shit right now. I needed to see Carolina, needed to know that it had all been worth it to save her.

"Fine. But I'd watch your back if I were you," Nicarla threatened.

I didn't even have to think about it. The tips of my fingers ignited with flames as I reached out and grabbed the vampire's forearm. I heard a strangled cry and then she was gone. She'd wrenched herself away from me and was cradling her wrist to her chest. I couldn't see any noticeable marks on her icy skin, but I knew how flammable vampires were and was sure that what I'd done would have to have hurt a lot.

"Aro will hear about this," Nicarla promised angrily, backing away at a human pace and keeping her eyes locked on me.

I could barely find it in myself to be shocked by what I'd just done. And I already knew that Aro would find out, he would have read it in Renesmee's thoughts just now. I'd just signed my own death warrant in attacking that guard, but I was counting on Aro valuing me too much, after finding out what I could do, to kill me or risk angering me.

I turned back to face the door and pushed them roughly open. My eyes darted around the room, looking for Carolina. The room looked surprisingly different from what it had when I'd last seen it. A quaint little bed draped in bright pink and yellow blankets, covered in excessive amounts of pillows still stood in the center of the room, right by the matching bedside tables. But that was about as far as my memory went, everything else seemed completely foreign. Where I remembered there being toys, plush animals that I had ensured were left there for her to play with- gone. The fireplace I remembered was cold and empty. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something about the room was different, harsher, clinical and foreign.

"Carolina?" I called, my voice coming out strange, half strangled.

"Cammy!" I heard Carolina's voice scream, but all I saw was a blur of blonde hair and blue fabric as she came sprinting towards me.

Sprinting with unnatural speed and grace.

The solid object that was Carolina collided with me, knocking me backwards a few steps as icy arms locked around me in an enormous hug. I froze immediately, remaining perfectly still, my heart freezing solid.

"Cameron, you came back! Just like you promised! What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?" Carolina asked from where she still latched onto me. I hadn't noticed it when she spoke a moment ago, but now I could distinctly hear a change in her voice. Where there had been slight slurs to her words, occasional bumbling of sounds, there was now fluid diction, smooth flowing phrases that tumbled out of her mouth with ease.

Carolina seemed to notice there was something wrong with me and she jumped down from me, landing lithely on the balls of her feet. I surveyed her with sharp, detached eyes, trying to see what an outsider would.

She was the picture of perfection, dressed in a blue cotton dress and matching ballet flats. Her blond hair, once an endearing mess of curls, was now almost straight, tamed into light waves. Wisps of it almost seeming to gleam subtly in the light. Her skin was snow white, but I could see how someone had applied rosy blush to her face, giving her the apple cheeked, angelic face of a porcelain doll.

But worst… Worst was the eyes. Where periwinkle blue had once sparkled with hopes and dreams there were now two bright red orbs gazing at me in confusion.

Oh God, please, no….

"Cammy, tell me what's wrong?" Carolina begged, stepping over and pushing my hair out of my eyes. It vaguely clicked in my mind that she was able to reach my face so easily because my knees must have given out beneath me. I flinched away from her icy touch and she stepped away again, her eyes somehow managing to appear innocent and hurt through the red I abhorred so strongly.

"You're a… you're a vampire," I breathed, blinking slowly twice.

"Yeah, now I'm just like you! And we can be together forever!" Carolina sang, her face lighting up once more. I shook my head, my mouth slightly open, just unable to speak. "Why are you mad?"

"You're a-a _vampire_," I stuttered again.

"Yes, for nearly two weeks now," she replied, her head tilted slightly to the side in wondering confusion.

Something about her answer clicked inside me and it took me a few seconds to remember why. Two weeks ago I had called here, asking for her as I usually did, but I remembered someone telling me that she had been 'busy'. Then Jane had told me she hadn't been harmed…

"Haven't been harmed," I said, my voice still blank and devoid of emotion.

"What are you saying?" Carolina asked, her voice still grating against me in the worst way, another reminder that she was…

"You're dead, you know that right?" I said, manic anxiety beginning to colour my words. Her red eyes flickered with shock and fright and I was immediately surprised to find I didn't feel guilty at all.

"I'm not dead… I'm a… They said I would be special-"

"You're not special!" I practically shouted, my emotions finally returning and catching up with me full force. "You're a vampire, a monster. You're never going to be able to live a normal life again, never going to grow up. God damn it! What the Hell have they done to you?" I ranted, getting to my feet and pacing away from her.

There was a snuffling sound, and short little sniffs that made me turn around. Carolina could no longer cry, it seemed, but her red eyes were squeezed tightly shut and she was balled up in a familiar position on the floor. Her tiny arms had circled her waist and her head was buried in her knees. I knew this position well. It was different from her tantrums, where she would lie spread eagled on the floor and rant until I inevitably gave in and let her have whatever it was she wanted. This was the tiny little ball she curled into whenever she asked me why her Mom hadn't come back, or why her Dad didn't like her, why she didn't have her family anymore.

I felt shame wash over me as I realised what I'd just said, how I'd snapped. _I _was supposed to be her family, and look at what I'd just done.

"Lina, I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," I said, walking over to her and crouching at her side. She didn't respond and I immediately felt the guilt inside me tighten its hold.

"Why… why do you hate me?" she asked, not pulling away from her little ball.

"I... I don't hate you. I hate what you've become," I replied honestly, still completely in shock. I didn't know how much her brain was processing, whether or not she was now as smart as an adult, or if she had she been frozen in her childlike mindset. Did she even realise what she'd become? I briefly thought back to the day I'd told her what I was, what I really was.

"_Carolina? Can you come here, please. I need to talk to you," I announced, patting the large rock next to where I sat. Her blue eyes sparkled with happiness as she looked up from her mud pies and daintily skipped over me. She stopped a few steps away from the rock and looked at me expectantly. I chuckled as I jumped down and lifted her into my arms, sitting back down with her resting on my lap. She insisted on being carried or held a lot of the time, which was part of the reason I needed to tell her what I really was. If she didn't want to be so close to me after today, or if she even wanted me to take her to a foster home, I wouldn't stop her. _

"_What iiis it?" Carolina asked, her wide eyes gazing up at me, filled with trust and happiness. _

"_Um. Okay, you know how your books talk about… fairies and magical elves?" I asked, not entirely sure how much she would understand. She nodded once. "And you know how they're all… magic?" I continued. She nodded again. I sighed, so confused and worried I was explaining myself wrong. "Well, you know how I can run really fast? And I'm really strong, not like other humans? Well, it's because I'm… I'm sort of like those fairies and magical elves. I'm sort of magic?" I trailed off, noting how her eyes had gone detached and her head was tilted to the side. _

"_So… YOU'RE A FAIRY!" Carolina suddenly squealed, thrashing wildly in my arms and trying to squirm around onto my back. _

"_What are you doing?" I asked, trying to stop her from falling down and injuring herself. _

"_I'm looking for your wiiiings!" she shrieked. _

_Crap, she'd misunderstood. But then again, I really shouldn't have brought up the 'f' word. She tended to tune out after that. _

"_No, Lina, listen. I said I'm _like _a fairy. I'm not a fairy. I'm a…. I'm a vampire," I blurted out, watching as her movements stilled and she went quiet. _

"_Like the number man on Sesame Street?" she asked. _

"_Uh… what?" I asked, completely baffled by what she was talking about. _

"_You knowwww! He has a cape, and, and fangs and he talks funny!" she persisted. _

"_Oh," I said, remembering. She thought I was the Count. Close enough. "Yeah sort of, I guess. But listen… I know you can't really understand but I needed to tell you. I'm dangerous, Lina, I could hurt you. I won't, you have to know that, but I needed to make sure you knew. I'm not like the vampires on TV, or in books. They do…" I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her exactly what vampires were trademarked by, "-they do bad things to humans. Humans just like you. But I promise, I swear, I'll never hurt you.". _

"_I knowwww that silly! You wouldn't hurt me," Carolina stated simply, swinging her legs to and fro and gazing at me with that implicit trust and unconditional love that I had always known from her. _

_I grinned, beyond pleased that she wasn't afraid, that she didn't want to leave. _

"_So is that okay with you? You're still my favorite girl?" I asked, smiling lightly._

"_Of cooourse! Now, come on, I want to play ponies. You be the boy pony and I'll be the girl pony and…" _

I blinked, coming back to the present and staring at Carolina's form, still bundled on the floor.

"Lina, you remember when I told you what I was?" I asked.

"Mmmmhmmm," came the muffled reply.

"You remember how I said that I was dangerous? That I could hurt people?"

"Yeah."

"Well… you're like me now. You're dangerous, too."

"But I haven't hurt anyone yet. Janey brings me grape juice and I stay in here," Carolina trailed off, finally peeping her head up to look at me.

"Grape juice? I don't-" I froze. Janey? Jane had been giving Carolina blood to drink and telling her it was _grape juice_?

"It tastes different to normal grape juice, but it tastes so yummy. And when I stopped hurting, I just was so thirsty…" she trailed off.

I felt torn inside. I didn't want to have to tell Carolina what she was, that what she had been drinking this whole time had been human blood. But it didn't sound as if Aro was planning on telling her, so I guess that left it up to me.

"Lina, that's not grape jui-"

"Cameron, there you are. And lovely Carolina, how nice to see you again," Aro's voice resounded through the echoic room as he entered through the door. Carolina's reaction to his voice surprised me; she immediately jumped up, her eyes alight with happiness and joy, and ran over to him. I watched in horror as he scooped her up in his deceptively frail looking arms, placing her on his hip and smiling down at her. They looked for all the world like a grandfather and his granddaughter, a picture of happiness and perfection.

Aro's eyes flickered to mine as he addressed her. "Hello, my dear. Are you very happy to have your brother back?" he asked, his voice fond.

"Yes, Papa Aro. He got mad, but he's still my brother," she answered, flashing first an uncertain look, then a smile, at me.

"_Papa Aro_? What the fuck?"

"Tsk, tsk," Aro clicked his tongue at me before continuing, "-language Cameron. We wouldn't want Carolina here growing up with a bad habit like that, would we?"

"Grow up? Grow up? She's never going to grow up, she's a goddamn vampire! And it's all your fault!" I cried, my hands balling into fists, trying desperately not to attack him. I could see his guard, Renata, stationed behind him, and I knew that other members of his guard would not be far away.

_Stick to the plan, Cameron, stick to the plan_, I berated myself.

"But that's simply not true. It was Carolina's choice, wasn't it sweetheart?" he cooed, looking at her for confirmation.

"Yeah. I wanted to be like you, Cammy. Please don't be mad, Papa Aro just wants to help me," Carolina said, smiling sadly at me, as though not understanding why I couldn't just be happy for her.

"We had a _deal_, Aro," I snapped.

"Indeed, we did. But it was to my understanding that the constraints of a certain deal would change, were the person foremost affected by said deal be willing and eager to partake in certain events of her choosing. This was Carolina's choice, I had no part in her decision," Aro replied smoothly, his words just making me angrier. I took deep breaths, trying to hold everything in and not snap. If I snapped, if I risked letting Aro touch my skin for just a moment, everything would be lost.

"Jane? Take Carolina to the East wing and entertain her. I need to have a rather serious discussion with our young friend here," Aro continued with a sadistic smirk.

"What? No, you swore we could leave once I'd brought that girl here. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain and it's about time you started living up to your word," I argued, glaring at Carolina and telling her with my eyes not to listen to them. Aro was a master of manipulation, he knew the hearts and minds of thousands of vampires and humans. I didn't doubt for a second that an innocent child would be spared from his mind games. It certainly hadn't spared her from the terrible fate she now had.

Jane stepped out of the shadows by the doorway, ignoring my words, and took Carolina from Aro, leading her by the hand out the door. Jane paused to toss her golden her back, now loose from its hood, and smirked at me. I half suppressed a growl and her smile widened as she turned and led Carolina away from me. The door swung shut ominously behind her and I was left virtually alone with Aro.

With but a glance, the vampire leader sent Renata from the room. It was a dangerous move, considering he now knew what I could do.

"Please, take a seat. You half bloods are so near mortal, I won't have a guest of mine tiring out by being forced to stand about all day."

I nodded reluctantly, trying hard to ignore the aches and pains in my body. My head hurt and my eyes ached from lack of sleep. Thinking about the last time I had been asleep, Renesmee curled lovingly in my arms, it was almost too much. I fought bitterly to keep her out of my head, but wasn't very successful. I took a seat perched on the end of Carolina's bed and watched Aro seat himself grandly in the lounge chair on the opposite side of the room.

"Your gift," he began simply, his tone inviting and curious at the same time, "- it intrigues me."

"It frightens you," I corrected, allowing a small, arrogant curve of my lips.

The vampire laughed, but it was a hollow, joyless sound. "My dear boy, why should _I_,the leader of the largest and most powerful vampire coven in the world, fear you? Why, as I said before, you're near enough to mortal it would be almost easy to kill you."

"But you won't," I replied confidently. Aro chuckled wryly, fingering the edges of his dark robe in an almost human-like gesture.

"I see no reason to dispose of you… yet. You would be a valuable asset to me and my brothers."

"I know that. Which is why you don't plan on killing me. And I'm going to go right ahead and guess that's why I haven't already been killed for my insolence?"

"You are perceptive. Perhaps more than even I imagined you would be. But you are yet to let me into your head. Why is that?" Aro asked, his head cocking to the side, a near condescending smile on his face.

"My thoughts are my own. You have no business knowing my intentions," I said, giving my rehearsed answer.

"And you, by all natural laws, have no right to manifest fire with your mind. And yet here we sit… We're not so different, you and I. We each want to protect our own, to preserve the balance of power. I read in young Renesmee's mind how you stopped those men from attacking her. Vampires, even half vampires like yourself, should not succumb to weak humans. We are above them, superior by right, by divinity. I see no reason why you and I should be enemies." Aro spoke with such conviction and belief in his words, it was clear he had deluded himself into truly believing the things he was saying.

_And I thought _I _had a complex…_

"What is it you want from me?" I asked, growing tired of his archaic preamble.

"I would care to extend to you a position amongst the guard. It is an honour of the highest degree, and before you answer, you would do well to remember where you stand. And where your loyalties lie, there can be no question."

_Can be no question? What the Hell does that mean?_ I asked myself in confusion, watching as Aro rose from his chair and strode towards the door. They opened for him as if by magic, and with that, he was gone. I remained in Carolina's room for a long moment, desperately trying to thumb through everything Aro had just said and try and make some use of it. Eventually, when I'd decided he'd only done what I'd predicted he would, I made to stand up.

To my surprise, my legs swayed unsteadily beneath me and my vision blurred slightly. I needed sleep, but there was no way in Hell I could sleep here, within these walls.

Parts of me warred against myself, one side wanting to stay near to Renesmee and Carolina, but the other half knowing that, for the greater good, I needed to get away, far away, from here to sleep and recover. I left Carolina's room and headed West, the opposite direction to both of my girls. Aro hadn't said whether or not I was to stay in Volterra, but I figured that since I'd spoken with him as he'd requested, I should have been free to leave if I so wished.

I quickly located a human attendee standing by a service desk near the exit. I spoke to her quickly, telling her that, if anyone asked, I was taking my leave for a day or two. I made her repeat one sentence back to me to make sure she had gotten it right. 'Tell Carolina _I'm coming back_. I will not leave her.' With that, I thanked the slightly confused woman and walked out the door.

No matter how upset I still was about Carolina being turned…. It had been her choice. Aro didn't seem like he had forced her into it, and that… well, that hurt the most.

_I wanted to be like you, Cammy…_

Yet another thing that was my fault. I felt the air around me thicken with my own self hatred and quickly stepped up my pace. The cold night air bit angrily at my skin, making me reconsider my decision to leave. But because I knew I couldn't, because I knew that my actions would hurt more than myself now, I took off at a light sprint, making my way to the city gates. I needed to get a few miles away and make a camp somewhere. I just needed a few hours of sleep, just some time away from the threat of Aro's intrusive gift and the stress that was building in me. Carolina would be safe, seeing as she was immortal now, and Renesmee….

Well, the truth was, I had no idea what would happen to her now. Did Aro intend to just leave her locked in her cell? Or did he have a use for her? Not knowing pained me, but I could only hope that she would be alright for the night. If I knew Aro at all, he had plans for her, plans that he would not even attempt to enact until he had established some semblance of a truce with her.

Judging from their last encounter, I wasn't so sure that she would agree to a truce anytime soon. She would be safe for tonight.

That thought calmed me some as I finally found a suitable place to rest.

Without even bothering to take my shoes off, I crumpled at the base of a large oak tree and drifted into sleep, my last thoughts of how I'd failed everyone.

**Edward POV**

"Edward, what is it?" Bella rasped, her pitch black eyes imploring my matching ones. She'd heard my sharp intake of breath and looked up immediately.

_Daddy? Are you there? I'm here, they've captured me. I don't know if you can hear me or not…. But if you can hear me…. I love you, and tell Mom I love her, too._ Renesmee's mental voice said.

It was times like that when I wished I shared my daughter's power so that I could respond to her. I yearned to call out to her, to reassure her. Her thoughts sounded so scared and alone…

"Renesmee's here. She's been captured… and they're taking her to see Aro now," I answered Bella, my voice hollow. It was difficult to surprise a vampire, but for one of the first times in her second life, Bella looked absolutely stunned.

"Alice, did you see this?" Emmett asked from the other side of the room. Everyone's eyes flitted to Alice and she looked around at us guiltily.

"Early this morning. But I didn't want to say anything, or have anyone _overreact_," Alice replied, her gaze sweeping over me as she said the last part. I glared back at her and ignored the apologies in her thoughts. I let my mind wander, looking for Renesmee or anyone that had seen her.

A human man that I knew worked for the Volturi had seen her. He was currently thinking about the way that she had seemed so sad, so desperate for help. Then, his thoughts turned to the people that had been accompanying her. Demetri had been with Renesmee, but I had expected that. What I hadn't expected, was to see Cameron with her. I hadn't expected the Volturi to bring him along with my daughter, but I supposed that if he had put up a struggle then they would have thought it best to subdue him and bring him here, too.

Then, I saw something that managed to shock me. In my near hundred years of life, I had rarely felt such anger. The times Bella had been in danger when she was human, Renesmee's close call with the human men, not one week ago…. But when I saw Cameron's face, saw his blank, hard expression and read in the human's mind how he had been helping hold Renesmee in place…

He'd been in on it the whole time, luring my daughter here.

A loud growl ripped through my chest and I pushed off the wall where I stood. I wasn't sure where to go, the room was small and the walls were too solid for any of us to escape them now. I still felt unfamiliarly weak moving around, but I had to _do _something.

"Edward, calm down. She'll be fine-"

"_No_. Cameron was in on it the whole time. He's the one who brought her here, who tricked us. How could I not have read it in his thoughts?" I ranted angrily. I felt my mate's touch on my arm, firm, but still as frail as she was at that time.

"Edward… I can't do this anymore. I can't _sit _here while our baby's out there, alone. She needs me!" Bella cried, her voice breaking with emotion as it hadn't since her human life had ended almost eight years earlier.

"I know, my love. I know…" I murmured, meeting her eyes again. I pulled her to me, resting my face in her mahogany curls, inhaling deeply and trying to calm myself with the scent of her.

"If we leave this room, those humans out there are dead. And I don't think we'd be able to find her before the guard caught us," Rosalie spoke up as I tried to rationalize a plan in my head. The human lives were slowly becoming of less consequence to me. It had been one thing to consider their lives when Renesmee had been safe back in Oregon, but now that she was in Italy, so close, I didn't know if I was capable of thinking rationally.

"Edward," the calm voice of my creator sounded through the room, "- we must think of this rationally. Aro would not keep her here if he did not have a purpose for her. If you think about it, you must see what he is doing?" Carlisle said, his tone growing wary.

"He wants to trade," Alice breathed from the other side of the room, straightening up infinitesimally and pulling away from Jasper's form hunched on the floor.

"Trade what? What does he want?" Emmett asked what we were all thinking.

"He wants me. And Edward… and you, Bella. He wants at least one of us to make the choice to go willingly so he'll still look like he's following his laws," Alice answered in a whispery breath, her face sombre and grave, a mere shadow of her former self.

"I… I'll do it. But Alice, Edward, I can't ask you to give up-"

"Dammit Bella, she's my daughter, too. I'll join Aro, you stay with Nessie and-" I began to protest but I was cut off.

"_No_. I promised myself, I swore I'd never let Aro have you. When I came here as a human, I was so terrified for you." Her expression twisted in a mask of pain and disbelief, imploring me. "Please Edward, I can't… I can't bear the thought of you having to be here, having to hear their thoughts all the time… And Alice, no. I won't let you. Because I love you, and because you're too dangerous. If Aro got a hold of you…" Bella said, rushing through her words, the strongest emotion I'd seen in weeks colouring her tone.

"But I can't live without you," I protested, brushing my thumb across her full lips and staring into her eyes.

"Then it's simple," came Jasper's southern drawl from his position on the floor. His words came out in short breaths as he struggled so much more with his thirst than each of us did.

"We give them both of you, and then they let the rest of us go," he continued, his eyes flickering once to Alice as he spoke.

_Edward, I can't let Aro have her. I can't let her stay here, she'd… she'd fade. _Jasper thought towards me. I glanced down at him, at his completely black eyes, and nodded infinitesimally. I would not damn Alice. I didn't want to condemn Bella to the fate I was now destined for, but I knew that she would not rest until our daughter was safe, and until I was at her side. It seemed that the only way that was happening, was by us both agreeing to join Aro.

I heard Alice's sharp intake of breath just a moment before I saw the vision in her mind. It only lasted a few seconds, but in it, we both saw all we needed to know.

"So it's settled then," Alice announced, a sad smile gracing her lips, "-tomorrow, Edward and Bella join the Volturi."

**So…. Thoughts?**

**Also…. Sam has joined twitter. I finally jumped on the bandwagon, and joined Twitter. Follow me as- that_sam_kid and I will be eternally grateful :) Seriously, it's just weird having no followers… help me out here?**

**Once again, apologies for my CRAP updating schedule, I promise to try harder and fail you slightly less next time. Tune in, hopefully, sometime in the next 2-3 weeks to get another instalment of Cessie, yeah, shit just got real. Compliments to X LittleMissDreamer X for finally giving them a couple name.**

**Review?**


	19. Chapter 19

Twilight isn't mine, yadda yadda yadda. 

This was difficult to write, but not nearly as hard as 18 was, so let's all just relax a little here. 

This one's unbeta'd as the lovely Nicarla is in mother effing FRANCE! Lucky…. I've always wanted to go, ah well. If I get my cheesy Eiffel tower keychain then I will be fine. Any French people reading this?

Enjoy. 

-Chapter 19-

**Renesmee POV**

"So…." I began, fidgeting nervously with the hem of my blouse.

"So," Jack repeated, smirking lazily at me from where he sat on a nearby chair. Neither of us spoke for a moment and the air grew thick with an air of discomfort. "Fuck this. Let's play a game," Jack announced, his eyes dancing with mischief.

"A_ game_?" I asked incredulously. My life lay in tatters around me and he wanted to play a game?

"Sure. Questions and answers or something?" he suggested. For lack of other option, I nodded in agreement and settled back onto the bed cushions.

"What's your favorite colour?" he asked.

"Um, purple?" I said, but it came out as more of a question. Jack chuckled lightly under his breath before directing a look at me to make me ask a question.

"Er… what's your favorite food?"

"Spaghetti. Did you love him?" Jack asked. My breath caught in my throat and I stared down at my hands, feeling my eyes begin to brim with tears.

I didn't answer, instead, digging my fingernails into my palms and trying to let the pain distract me.

"Are you going to tell me why you were crying earlier?" Jack pressed when I didn't answer.

I flinched, averting my eyes and trying desperately to think of some way to get him to change the subject.

I just couldn't deal with it right now.

"Okay, calm down," he continued swiftly, obviously noting my unease. "Geez, don't give yourself a heart attack," he chuckled, his hazel eyes scrutinising my face. I frowned at him, trying to calm my breathing.

"Next question," I said.

"Alright then. Were you crying over Ca-"

"_Don't._ Jack, you're an asshole. You do know that right?" I cut him off angrily, already regretting my decision to let him into my room/cell.

"Indeed, I do. I'll take that for a yes. So that little act back in the States was for real? I thought he was fucking with me, honestly. The guy can't lie to save his life. He's too… good. But he managed to fool you. I guess a pretty girl like you would make a guy say just about anything," Jack said, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore the stabbing sensation in my chest.

_Oh contraire, Cameron was the best goddamn liar in the world._

"Jack, I think you should leave."

"Alright, calm down, I'm sorry. Clearly that's a sore spot for you. Let's start over?" he offered. I sighed, before nodding my head.

"Fine, start over. Now it's my turn. Why are you in Italy?"

"I'm assuming he told you about our old coven?" Jack asked. I nodded briefly. "Well, when Aro found us a few years back, he took down Zack- that would be our leader's- name. We always knew they would come looking for us, and finally, about a month ago, they did. Aro and Caius only wanted one of us, and as soon as I heard my brother was in on this, well, I just couldn't resist," Jack explained, a smirk on his face.

"I see. And now you're doing…?" I trailed off, wondering why he was still here now that the Volturi had me.

"Well… Aro has some plans for me. And you. You see… he doesn't know much about half vampires and the guy's curious to know about…. Certain stuff," he said, his eyes guarded but still glinting with something that immediately made me uneasy.

"What kind of stuff?" I asked nervously.

"He hasn't said much on it, but from what I'm guessing, it's not exactly going to be a lot of fun. Sounds like medical tests and experiments," Jack hedged, his voice indicating he was still not telling me everything he knew.

"Right… But couldn't he just perform them on you, or just on me? Why does he need both of us?"

"He mentioned certain 'things' he wants to know that involve two half vampires. Things that involve a male…. and a female."

I felt my heart freeze and heard myself gasp. Aro wanted to do _what_?

"He wants to test if you can have kids or not. See, nobody thought it was possible for your parents to even have you so Aro wants to make sure that that nev-"

"_Get out!_" I screamed, cutting Jack off. He jumped slightly, no doubt surprised by the intensity of my reaction.

"Whoa, calm the fuck down, Renesmee," Jack said, his expression confused, as though he didn't understand why I was angry.

"Get the Hell out of this room, _now_." I seethed, glaring so fiercely at him that I saw genuine fear flicker through his eyes for a moment.

"Alright, alright," Jack sighed dramatically as he got to his feet, "-I'll go. But hey, if I'm right about Aro, then I'll be back. Maybe sooner than you think," he said, winking once as he got to his feet and turned to the door.

I heard him chuckle as he left, shutting the heavy door behind him again.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself, rubbing furiously at my eyes. I now not only faced death, but also the potential of strange medical tests. And Aro wanted me to…. to do _that_? At least Jack was blunt about it, at least he hadn't lied and tried to build any of it into something it wasn't. Unlike….

God, I couldn't believe how messed up Aro's mind was.

He wanted me to have a child with Jack? Not happening.

Absolutely not happening.

There had to be a way to kill myself before it came to that.

* * * x * * *

After Jack left, I tried to sleep. I was hungry, exhausted and completely drained, but I still lay awake for hours. The bed was comfortable, which seemed like just another way Aro was trying to confuse me. Lock me in a room, but fill it with extravagant furnishings first? It just didn't make sense. Did he want me to hate him? Fear him? Side with him?

I tried desperately to shut my brain off so I could sleep, and eventually, after hours of fitful tossing and turning, I did.

When I awoke hours later, I sat up in alarm, briefly forgetting my surroundings. The lack of window in my room meant that the natural lighting hadn't changed, but I did notice that the light I had left on had been dimmed. Glancing over to the door, I also noticed that the intercom box I had successfully smashed earlier was completely repaired.

I scowled.

My duffel bag had apparently been brought in as well and was sitting on a low table by the bathroom door. I went over to my bag, unzipping it and briefly rifling through the contents. I told myself I was looking for a weapon, for something that could help me get out of there, but really, I wanted to know what _he'd _thought to pack for me. The vast majority of my favourite outfits were in there, along with the band shirt that I often wore to bed.

I didn't know if I was supposed to be angry that he'd packed every single thing I would have packed for myself, or pleased that at least I had things from home to comfort me here. I chose option C, none of the above. After selecting a clean set of jeans and a t-shirt, I went to zip the bag shut, but hesitated as I noticed something peeking out of one of the side pockets.

I pulled on it and felt my eyes well with tears when I saw what it was.

Jacob's bracelet.

I didn't know why, but he had packed Jacob's bracelet for me, the very bracelet that I had removed, essentially, for him. Silently, I slipped the cords back around my left wrist, tying a tight knot to fasten it in place. The knot was too tight and cut off my circulation somewhat, but I didn't care. The slight pain was a reminder of what I'd lost, what I'd given up, all for _him_.

I chuckled bitterly at my stupidity, my ignorance.

I wondered what Jacob was doing right at that moment. He was probably still mad from that phone call we had. I'd given him no reason to want to help me, and even if there was a way of him knowing I were here, I doubted he would want to rescue me. That said, I couldn't help the small seed of hope that planted itself in my heart. If Jacob went past the house and found it empty, maybe he could somehow help me and my family….

No, I didn't want him dragged into this. It had become increasingly clear to me since I'd been captured by the Volturi that everyone and everything that came into contact with them was destroyed.

Jacob was so close to being able to stop phasing and I didn't want to ruin that for him. Every time he'd visited me in the past I'd set him back just by him being in my presence. It wasn't that bad considering I was only a half vampire, but my proximity still affected him too greatly for him to ever be able to revert back to human permanently if I were around him daily. We both resented how my vampirism made his shape shifter gene react, but we'd always just dealt with it. My effect was always ten times worse when I went to visit him on the reservation. The way the Quileutes were tied to the land meant that if any vampire were on their land, their genealogical reaction to us was that much worse than if it were elsewhere.

I shook my head roughly, trying to get thoughts of my imprint out of my head. I'd hurt him too badly to be able to expect any help now.

I went to the bathroom and examined it with a wary eye. It was flawlessly clean, the white marble walls and equally blinding, tiled floor making the room almost surreal to be in. After a full minute of observation, I decided that the shower really had been put there for my use and was nothing out of the ordinary. I stripped down and jumped in the shower, trying to figure out the complicated nozzles and sprays. It took a minute, but eventually I found a setting I liked and managed to shower comfortably for ten minutes.

Once I was clean and dressed in my fresh clothes, I returned to the main room, plonking down on the end of the bed. I had no idea what I was supposed to do now. And I was getting _really _thirsty for some water.

I sighed, resigned to the fact that I would have to ask someone for it. I really hoped that Jack wasn't still stationed outside my door. I approached the intercom and held down the big black button on the side, waiting for a response.

"Good morning," a fuzzy female voice came through the speaker.

"Uh, hi."

"How can I help you?" the voice asked, all chipper and happy.

"Umm… I was kinda' wondering if I could get some food or something in here?" I said, phrasing it as politely as I could. The woman sounded human and was no doubt unaware of the true nature of my stay here. She couldn't help her job, I guessed.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," the voice replied.

"…. Can I ask why not? I was told I could ask for-"

"I'm afraid the orders are quite clear, Miss. There is to be no food or water taken to your quarters."

"Oh. Well, that's fine. Whatever," I growled, feeling angry and somewhat embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Miss. The orders are clear. No food or water." I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something in the woman's tone made it clear that she was hiding something, almost hinting at something. I couldn't be sure, though.

"Well, okay then," I acquiesced, before speaking up and voicing my main reason for using the intercom, "-can I go visit my family now then?" I asked, trying not to show just how hopeful I was. I was sure that if I came across as too eager then someone would find a way to deny me what I wanted.

"Of course! I'll send an escort immediately," the woman exclaimed happily, surprising me with how easy it was.

"Urr… thanks," I mumbled, the manners that had been ingrained in me surfacing before I had realized the words were out. These people were my captors, but still, I couldn't be rude… I couldn't decide whether Esme would be pleased or not.

I retreated back towards the chairs to sit down after the woman said goodbye, choosing the one I had sat in… yesterday? How long had I been there? I had no idea, but roughly gauged it under 24 hours. When was the last time I ate? I tried to remember eating something on the plane, but then remembered how I'd blacked out almost immediately after boarding and hadn't awoken until we'd reached Volterra. That would make my last meal… Friday night.

Pizza, eaten leisurely as I cooked what could have been a delicious dessert with…

_Stop it, Nessie. _

I turned my thoughts away from that track, focusing on how I was going to see my family soon. I waited impatiently for nearly ten minutes- _immediately my ass_, I thought- before there was a knock on the door. I didn't have time to even call out 'come in' before it was being swung open. There were three guards stationed just outside the door, all of whom I recognized.

"Demetri," I greeted coldly, standing from my chair and approaching the door.

"Renesmee," he returned, the barest traces of a smirk on his face. I glanced past him to Felix, another vampire that I remembered from my past. He nodded briefly at me, not hiding his smile. I pursed my lips and looked for the third and final member of the party. The final vampire stood only a little taller than I was and had almost teenager-like features. His expression was impassive as his eyes observed me. I raised an eyebrow at him in question before facing out the door. Alec merely smiled in response.

"Okay, let's go now," I suggested, attempting to step past them to the corridor behind. Three figures stepped in time with me and I felt an icy hand make its way to my forearm. I didn't even glance behind me to see who it was, instead, attempting to pull them forward with me. The arm pulled harder and I finally stopped fighting against it and stopped moving.

"_Really_?" I asked in a sarcastic voice, turning to face the group and realizing that the hand on my arm belonged to Alec.

"Really what?" Felix asked, looking confused.

"That," I motioned to my arm and their defensive positions surrounding me, "-am I _really_ that much of a threat that all of that's really necessary?" I asked, growing impatient with this. I wanted to see my parents and these stupid vampires were just slowing me down.

"Orders are orders," Alec replied, but he did release my arm. I rubbed at the spot where his grip had chafed against my skin.

"Screw your orders. I'm a _half_ vampire. I'm not nearly as fast as any of you, I _don't _have an offensive power, there are _three _of you, we're on your turf and I'm a _girl_," I explained in exasperation.

"So?" Alec asked, missing the point.

"So- _I'm not going anywhere!_" I half shouted. I saw each of their faces twitch with amusement and I groaned, rolling my eyes. "Whatever. Can we just go now?" I asked, starting forward again. No one stopped me this time, and after a quick glance behind me to check they were following, I started walking.

I made it about ten feet before I realized I had no idea where I was going.

"I'll take point," Demetri offered, striding swiftly past me and continuing down a corridor to the left. We each started following, our echoing footsteps the only sounds.

For the first time since I'd found out about how I'd been betrayed, lied to, I felt a tiny spark of excitement. Really the first feeling of anything other than anger, complete depression and terror.

They were taking me to see my family. For just a moment, I forgot that I was in serious danger, that they were too. It had been over a month since I'd last seen my parents or any of the others and I'd be lying if I didn't say that some _tiny _part of me wasn't glad that they'd brought me here to see them.

We continued walking along the stone passage, following the many twists and turns. I walked with the three vampire guards for about ten minutes before Demetri finally stopped beside another unremarkable door. We'd passed 32 others like it and I made a note of the number in my head.

Demetri stepped back to allow me to enter, and after receiving a brief nod from Alec and Felix, I pushed the door out of the way.

The room I entered was colder than all the others I'd been in and I shivered slightly. The room was quite large and had one curved wall. It was also filled with humans. Some lounged on day beds around the edges of the room and others stood around the room, looking for all the world like furniture. They all looked up at our approach.

Some of the women looked hopefully at the male vampires and I screwed my nose up when I thought about the reason for that. I didn't know if the humans were prisoners or not, but none of them really seemed afraid of the guards. I looked around them, desperate for a sign of my family, and came up blank.

"Through here," Felix announced, walking further into the room and stopping at the curved wall I had noticed. He extended his hands and ran them along a seam I hadn't noticed before. He started tugging on the wall, using his vampire fingernails that I knew could substitute as talons, claws, when necessary. With a loud, metallic groan, the panel of wall heaved free and behind it I saw a dark room.

Felix stepped back for me to enter and I approached the tiny gap in the wall, feeling my heart rate pick up. Was my family behind here? With that thought, I pushed my way inside and blinked rapidly. I heard the door slide shut behind me and tried to ignore how ominous it sounded.

It took a full second, but I was able to distinguish a small, circular shaped room. And eight figures hunched against the far wall.

"Nessie?" a voice breathed incredulously from across the room.

I froze.

I'd know that voice anywhere.

"_Momma!_" I screamed, bolting towards where I'd heard her voice.

I was met halfway by her cold, solid body colliding with mine. I felt her icy arms wrap around me and I felt my eyes tear up again. Her appearance, during the brief second I saw it, had seemed different, changed somehow, but I wasn't able to figure out how so because I was scooped up almost immediately.

"My baby," she sobbed tearlessly into my shoulder. She clutched me to her tighter and I winced involuntarily. It had been a long time since she'd forgotten how strong she was around me. I felt a second pair of arms enclose us both and I looked up to see my Dad standing there.

"Daddy," I whispered, burying my head in his shoulder, effectively sandwiching myself between my parents. We remained that way for almost a full minute, my breathing laboured, no other sound in the silent room. Dad eventually broke away and smiled at me, but it was a broken smile, an empty smile.

"Nessie, sweetie, you're okay," Mom breathed, pushing my hair back off my face and looking me over with worried eyes.

"I missed you both so much." My words came out half strangled, my voice thick with unshed tears.

"I know, sweetie. It's okay. We're here now. We love you so much," Dad whispered, drawing me into the safety of his arms. I sniffled, inhaling his familiar and comforting scent.

"Renesmee," another voice came from across the room. I glanced over my Father's shoulder and spotted the rest of my family. I glanced down at Dad and he nodded. I stepped out of his embrace and approached the others. Rose and Emmett walked over to me, their movements surprisingly stiff and almost uncomfortable looking. The dim lighting made it difficult to discern their faces but I accepted the giant bear hug from Uncle without question. Rosalie's arms reminded me of when I was younger, before any of this started, and I felt the tears fall down my cheeks as she pulled back from me.

Carlisle and Esme approached me next, enveloping me in a combined hug filled with warmth and love. Still… they, too, appeared to be struggling with something.

I looked around for Alice and spotted her hunched on the ground, her arm in the death grip of Uncle Jazz.

"Jasper, what are you doing to Alice?" I asked, my voice coming out harsher than I had intended. No one hurt my family, not even… my family? It didn't make sense… Jasper would never harm Alice, ever.

"Don't worry, Nessie. He needs me right now, but I'd hug you if I could, kid. Love you," Alice answered, smiling regretfully up at me. I heard my Uncle's ragged breathing and involuntarily shied away.

"What's going on? You're all acting weird," I accused, going to stand back with my parents. I felt my Father's arm surround my shoulders and leaned gratefully into his side. Mom took my hand and I squeezed hard, suddenly overwhelmed by everything.

Just as I sensed someone about to speak, to explain everything, a light that I hadn't noticed flickered to life. I blinked a few times, accustoming myself to the sudden brightness and wondering who and how it had been turned on. That thought left my head as soon as I looked into the face of my Mother and saw something I hadn't noticed initially.

Her normally amber eyes were dead. I knew, it sounded crazy, but there was no other way that I could describe it. I'd seen my family go without hunting for a week, had seen the way their eyes would fade from gold to black. But I had _never _seen this before. There was no light behind my Mother's eyes, no spark of life… nothing. Black holes that looked as if they held no soul behind them...

Dark shadows were imprinted under her eyes that extended all the way across her face, underlining her cheekbones, tracing her lips. Her usual beauty was marred by her gaunt, petrified features. I stepped back involuntarily.

"Wha… What's happened?" I whispered, trying to overcome the sudden fear that had overtaken me.

"Starvation. You smell mighty fine right about now," Jasper's voice reached my ears, his southern twang giving his words an unexpected, sinister twist. The words didn't really register at first, but then, I began to piece it together.

Their strange, awkward movements.

Their reluctance to be near me for too long.

Jasper's posture, hunched on the floor.

"They've been starving you?" I cried, my hands flying to cover my mouth in horror.

"Yes," Dad confirmed, "-the last time any of us ate was over a month ago. It's… difficult being around you right now," he admitted.

"I… Do you want me to leave?"

"No, of course not. We've been waiting to see you ever since we left," Carlisle spoke for the first time. "I must say… I'm so dreadfully sorry for this, Renesmee. It's my fault, I shouldn't have led my family here." He sounded so devastated, fully of self loathing.

"No, Grandad, don't be sorry. You couldn't have known that… _this _would happen," I tried to comfort him, hating how his features were as affected as my mother's. Glancing around the room, I saw that everyone's faces were almost identical in that way. Dead eyes, bruise-like shadows, frail appearances.

"Oh, I've missed hearing you call me that," Carlisle said, a weary smile on his lips. He seemed to be struggling the least with his thirst, but I supposed that his extra centuries of experience gave him some sort of benefit.

I tried to smile back, but was afraid that it didn't quite work out. I sighed, wondering what I could possibly say to make things better.

"Is he here with you?" Dad asked, frowning over at the 'doorway' I had entered through.

"Who?" I asked.

"Camer-"

"No. He's not on our side, actually," I said, cutting across the name I didn't want to hear.

"We know."

"What?" I exclaimed loudly, looking to Alice for confirmation. She nodded unhappily once before directing her gaze back to Jasper's face. "How long have you known?" I breathed. If they'd known before they left, if they'd left me alone with him, knowing all along…

"We only found out yesterday," Mom explained, folding herself onto the ground, pulling me down with her and setting me on her lap. Dad joined us on the floor, placing an arm over his wife's shoulders.

"Oh… So you know that I um… that he… I- that, we er, we-"

"That you love him," Mom supplied softly, taking my hand in hers again.

"Lov_ed_. Not anymore," I corrected, wiping at my eyes with my free hand to make the tears go away.

"What does Aro want with us? How are we going to escape?" I said, looking around to see if they had concocted any brilliant escape plans.

Just then, the door I had entered through was slid open half a millimetre.

"Renesmee, it's time to leave," Alec's voice spoke through the tiny gap.

"What? No, I don't want to go. Please, just let me stay here with my family," I begged, turning to face the tiny slot.

"I'm afraid Aro wouldn't like that. We have specific orders to take you back to your room now."

"No, Alec, I won't go. I'm staying right here," I swore, glaring.

The gap opened up further, enough for Alec's arm to shoot through the gap and grab my hand. I barely realised what was happening before I was being tugged through the gap. Half my body was on either side before I woke up enough to fight back.

"Let me go!" I screamed, flailing madly and trying to claw at the wall to anchor myself. Alec's grip was too hard, though, and I felt myself falling. "I love you, I'll come back, I promise!" was all I managed to get out before the door slid back into place with me on the wrong side of it. I felt Alec's hand fall from my wrist and turned slowly, glaring daggers at him.

"Why?" I growled.

"You were talking about escaping. Orders were to take you away as soon as that kind of talk started."

"You clearly overestimate me," I spat, angry that they had the power to remove me from my family.

"Better to be safe than sorry. You wouldn't be the only sorry one if you escaped, trust me," Felix added from where he stood by the door to the corridor.

"You mean Aro would punish all of you, too?"

"Never mind what would happen to us. We're following orders, and right now, the orders are to get you back to your room," Alec said, nodding towards the door.

I looked over my shoulder once in the direction of my family, sighing sadly, before turning and following Demetri back to my room. They left me at the door, telling me that Alec would be my guard for the next 24 hours.

"Um… thanks. For taking me to see them," I mumbled awkwardly as I went into my room.

"Just following orders," Alec replied, but I swear I saw the corner of his mouth twitch up.

"Right… God, you people disgust me," I muttered as I started walking towards the bed to sit down.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked, poking his head in the door and looking curiously at me.

"Are you kidding me? Capturing and imprisoning people? Starving people? It's crazy, it's-it's just… It's inhumane!" I cried, balling my hands into fists.

Alec chuckled darkly, shutting the door almost completely behind him. I made out a few words just before the door shut, sealing me in.

"You forget Renesmee- humanity is for humans."

**Mmmkay… Welcome to short chapters! I think I said about 7 chapters or something ago that I was going to start cutting the down to about 5k words each… Well, here's me- eventually- sticking to my guns. Don't worry, I meant what I said, this will mean faster updates, promise. **

**For the next week I'm getting my Charlie on, meaning, fishing trip! Yayyy :| I won't have access to internet or a computer so unfortunately no writing to be done. Hopefully will have lots of inspiration while I'm gone, though. **

**Reviews have majorly let down lately…. I think maybe the button's broken. You should check for me :)**


	20. Chapter 20

Twilight belongs to me. PSYCHE

Real life is fail. Laptop also had a seizure. Sorry all. 

Thanks for all your reviews for the last chapter. So far response is positive for short chapters, so we're going to stick with them for a while :)

Absence of Cameron last chapter made a few people antsy- calm your shit, people, he's back. 

-Chapter 20-

**Cameron POV**

"_Why did you leave me, Cameron?" _

"_I… I didn't want to. I'm sorry."_

"_You failed me. Why do you always fail everyone?"_

"_I-I... I don't mean to, it just happens. I never wanted to hurt you… Please, don't go. I miss you, please come back."_

"_If you really loved me you wouldn't have hurt me."_

"_I was only trying to protect you!"_

"_How is this protecting me? All you've ever done is hurt me."_

"_But I-"_

"_There's no excuse for what you've done. Everything is your fault. All your fault. Your fault. Your fault. _Your fault_."_

I awoke with a start, feeling my heart beating loud and fast in my chest. I sat up abruptly, my eyes blinking rapidly in the fading light. My dream- or, more accurately, my nightmare- still flashed through my head. It had felt so real.

I rubbed my eyes furiously, trying to rid my mind of the image of Renesmee's broken expression. If I allowed myself to dwell on her, I would never get up again. I needed to take action, and I needed to do it now.

I glanced around me, taking in my surroundings that I had overlooked in my exhaustion the night before. I was in a forest of sorts, though it was nothing like home. Home being Oregon. Home with-

_Not now. Focus._

I shook my head at myself and got to my feet.

The setting sun cast semi-shadows across the forest floor and I was surprised by how long I had been asleep. I'd been gone from Volterra for almost an entire day. I didn't think it was likely that Aro had sent a member of the guard after me, but then again, underestimating him could get the people I cared about hurt, so I didn't dismiss the idea immediately. It was clear that he was interested in me, in having me join him. I knew that of course I couldn't, _wouldn't_, but perhaps pretending I was considering things would buy me some time. I couldn't risk Aro's suspicion yet.

It was time to start phase one of my plan.

Unfortunately for me, that meant heading straight back to Volterra, back into the arms of the enemy.

With a fleeting but determined look towards the horizon, I started running.

It took less than half an hour before I saw the lights of the city looming ahead of me. It took me even less time to slow down to a human pace and wind my way through the streets. I approached the city square, stepping slowly around a fountain. A few humans lingered in the square but I ignored them, passing straight by them to the cold, stone courtyard walls. I knew without looking that somebody was watching me. Of course.

"I want to speak with Aro," I said, my voice calm and clear.

A tall vampire materialised from the shadows, raising a curious eyebrow but nodding at the same time. I followed him deeper into an alleyway. I didn't recognize the route that we took, only really seeing that it was completely different and separate from yesterday's path. Ten minutes after I'd entered the city, I was standing in front of a large, wooden door.

"Send him in," I heard a vaguely familiar voice call from the other side of the door. I stepped inside the door and was surprised by the face I saw on the other side of it.

"Caius," I greeted tersely. He was the one who had ordered me into the room. I hadn't even really thought about him at all, being more focussed on Aro and his power that could potentially ruin everything. I looked around the room, noting that Aro was absent. I glanced at the vampire who had led me to the room, seeing how he was practically on his knees in an exaggerated bow.

"Thank you, Derrek, you are dismissed," Caius said smoothly, sending the vampire to his feet and out of the room.

I exhaled deeply, knowing that what I had intended to talk to Aro about would have to wait. I knew enough of the three Volturi leaders to sense that whilst Aro may have held the forefront position, the ideas, the forward motion, it was Caius who was responsible for the cunning and often ruthless strategies that saw the Volturi coven seated on the thrones of power.

"Cameron, is it? I don't believe we were introduced during your last visit. I am Caius," he said, gesturing for me to approach him where he was seated on his throne-like chair.

I merely nodded in response, waiting for him to say what he had obviously intended to talk to me about since the moment I entered Volterra.

"I take it Aro has approached you about joining us," Caius began, making clear that he did not question this fact. His eyes were downcast, the slightest glimpse of a smirk on his lips.

"Yes, he has. I haven't made up my mind just yet," I said, trying to come across as uncertain, as though I were actually considering it.

"And did he speak to you of… loyalty?"

'_And where your loyalties lie, there can be no question,' _Aro's words flashed through my mind.

"Yes, he may have mentioned something," I answered vaguely, curious as to where this was leading.

"I merely wish to reiterate that…. sentiment. Your friend, Jack-" Caius's eyes flickered to me, watching for a reaction, "- he knows all about loyalty. Learnt it from your old coven leader's knee, or so I am told. But you… you were the one who abandoned them, who broke free in search of…. what, exactly?" Caius's tone was lilting, hinting that he knew more, but I could tell from his expression that he was merely fishing for information.

Mine and Renesmee's secret was still safe.

"Searching for more. You and your 'family' may never tire of centuries of bloodshed, but I like to think I still retain my morals, if nothing else," I replied, narrowing my eyes at his change in expression. His face had suddenly lit up, as though that were exactly what he had been expecting- no, wanting- me to say.

"Morals. You sound just like someone else I know. Edward Cullen. Have the two of you been introduced?" Caius asked, his satisfied smile letting me know that I had fallen directly into his trap and betrayed at least one part of my secret. Now he suspected me of sympathising with the Cullens. Shit.

"Once," I replied sharply, angry with myself for slipping up already.

"Edward," Caius called, looking beyond me. I froze, turning to see a hooded figure entering the room. Hooded? Did that mean….?

Edward Cullen was now a part of the Volturi.

I caught the slightest glimpse of the familiar male before I remembered myself, quickly trying to divert my thoughts to a new avenue.

But I knew deep down that I was already too late.

Edward pulled back his hood and stared at Caius, his expression completely blank, his eyes dark and flinty.

"Yes, master?" Edward addressed Caius in a monotone.

"Edward, I believe you have met Cameron. He was the one that was so kind as to bring us your daughter," Caius chirped brightly from where he sat, his expression almost comically contrary to the other times I had seen it, a bright and cheery looking persona.

Edward Cullen's gaze flitted to me and I swear I saw the corner of his eye twitch, just barely, in anger, before he resumed his stoic expression. I stared back at him, ignoring Caius for a moment, trying to catch Edward's eye and see if he knew, if he'd heard what I'd been thinking just moments before he entered the room.

"Indeed, we've met," he said, his voice cold and expressionless.

"Excellent. That will be all, for now. Please escort Cameron to Aro. He's waiting in the East wing," Caius ordered, waving us both aside with a casual flick of his wrist. I nodded uncertainly and turned to follow Edward out of the room.

The doors shut behind us and I walked exactly three paces behind Edward, following him warily.

The cracks in the wall, the way the echoing sound of our footsteps against the stone floor reminded me of a bad horror movie I'd once seen, where was the last place I'd seen Jack?

I tried desperately to think of _anything _at all that wasn't Renesmee related. I tried so hard my head started to hurt. But just like when someone tells you not to think about elephants, the very first thing that pops into your fucking head is an elephant. Simply because she was the one thing I shouldn't have been thinking about, simply because her mind reading father was _right_ the fuck there, I slipped up.

All I thought about was the tiniest glimpse of her smile, the way it made something in me feel whole again, then the typical rush of guilt about what I'd done to her.

But that was apparently all it took, because just seconds after that thought disobediently popped into my head, Edward stopped walking. I froze immediately, preparing myself for the worst.

But then I heard a low, menacing chuckle resonate in the empty corridor, coming from him.

_Dammit, I've just ruined everything_, I thought with horror.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I may wear this black cloak but my allegiance still remains well and truly with my family. You see, for some obscure reason… I think I believe you. I think I believe that you truly do…. care for my daughter…." Edward trailed off, not turning to face me.

I stood there awkwardly for a moment, wondering what I was meant to say to that, but before I could even open my mouth he spoke again, finally turning to face me. He ripped his hood back off his face as he spoke, his cold, black eyes boring into mine.

"I don't like you. In fact, I rather abhor that I am standing here speaking to you when I should be slaughtering your worthless hide for even _daring _to lay your filthy hands on my daughter." Venom dripped from every word he spat, but his tone remained even and quiet, as though he didn't want to be overheard.

"Are you going to 'tell' Aro?" I asked after a brief pause, using air brackets around the word 'tell.'

"No. I'm not. And my Bella can make sure that only that part of my thoughts are blocked from him. An unusual gift she has only picked up since we arrived here…" he trailed off, musing to himself, it seemed.

"That's right… Renesmee said she was a mental shield-" I began, shock and relief overcoming me as I remembered what Renesmee's mother could do, but I was cut off.

"Someone's coming," Edward's eyes flickered back the way we'd came. I glanced but could see and hear nothing so I chalked it up to his superior senses. I turned back to him and nodded briefly once. "What's your plan?" he said, lowering his voice even further and speaking more hurriedly.

"Get them out of here. Carolina and Renesmee. Then I'll come back for everyone else, stage a revolt or something… I'm working on that second part," I explained in an equally quiet voice.

Edward raised an eyebrow at me, looking somewhat doubtful, but he also looked resigned.

"Trust me," I said, looking him in the eye and trying desperately to let him know that I meant those words.

"Just remember something. I don't like you. I don't trust you," he reminded me. "But for now," he paused, tilting his head to the side as he surveyed me, "- it seems like I have no other choice. Get her out of here."

Those were his last words to me before he slipped his hood back on, turned on his heel, and resumed marching us forward down the corridor.

* * * x * * *

"Thank you," I whispered, tilting my head up to the ceiling. I didn't know if God had had a hand in what just happened, by I sure as Hell felt the need to thank _some_one. I'd sought out Aro initially to keep suspicion off myself by making up some questions I had about the guard position, but when Aro had said he was glad to see me and that he'd been just about to send for me because he wanted to talk… I'd started stressing, to say the least.

I was thanking whoever was up there because he had only wanted to discuss any further decisions I may have had about joining him, and I was easily able to stall. He hadn't figured me out quite yet, which was all I was asking for at the moment.

I'd been unable to avoid my rising heart rate when Edward had extended his hand for Aro to read into his mind, but I'd relaxed somewhat when I'd seen his mate, and Renesmee's mother, Bella, standing nearby. Edward had mentioned that she could block certain parts of Edward's mind off without Aro noticing, but that still didn't put me completely at ease.

Aro had merely touched Edward's hand, for not even five seconds, before letting go and smiling warmly at me. He'd excused me shortly after and I'd gone off in search of Carolina.

Time to get her out of here.

"Carolina, there you are," I breathed a sigh of relief as I spotted her blonde head just ahead of me. She'd only been a few feet away from the door, and from the smile on her face when I spotted her, she'd been waiting for me.

"Cammy!" she called, springing lightly into my arms. I still wasn't accustomed to her sturdiness and strength, but I tried not to let it show as I held her close, letting her dig her feet into the tops of my jeans the way she always had.

"How are you today?" I asked, trying to make natural conversation as I started walking, hoping she wouldn't notice I was taking us to the exit.

"I'm fine. Where are we going?" she asked. I repressed a groan and glanced around the corridor to make sure it was empty. I'd decided the easiest and safest way to get her out of here would be if she had no idea what was happening and where we were going. That way, if we got caught, then Aro could read her innocence in her mind and she wouldn't be punished.

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked, winking conspiratorially at her. She nodded, her disconcertingly red eyes wide with wonder and excitement. She loved secrets.

"We're going out on a walk. Just you and me. Like old times," I told her, smiling. She grinned back and clung onto me tighter. I was pleasantly surprised that she hadn't changed in that way. She still liked to be held, to be close to me. I randomly reached up and ruffled her hair and she giggled at me.

Maybe things weren't so bad after all, maybe things would be okay.

We walked in relaxed silence for about a minute before we came across the same exit I'd taken yesterday. Luckily, the human reception desk was empty and we were able to slip out unnoticed.

"Stop. Where do you think you're going?" an irritatingly familiar voice called from the shadows.

Okay, maybe not unnoticed then….

I carefully set Carolina down but remained holding onto her hand, just in case.

"Nicarla," I greeted her coldly, watching as the vampire stepped out into the open.

"That didn't answer my question," she sneered, crossing her arms and tossing suspicious looks between me and Carolina.

"Going for a walk," Carolina chimed in sweetly, obliviously unaware of the threatening undertone of our conversation.

"Does Aro know?" Nicarla asked, her head cocked knowingly to the side. Shit. She suspected something. Even if she let us go now, she would track us and then report back to Aro.

"No. And you're not going to say anything to him about it, either," I replied smoothly, confidently. I didn't want to have to fight her, especially not with Carolina watching, but from the way Nicarla started side stepping to block our path, I knew she wasn't letting us go without a fight.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave," she taunted.

"Lina, get back," I ordered quietly, relinquishing her tiny hand and stepping in front of her.

"What's wrong? I'm scared," Carolina mumbled, tugging on my shirt sleeve. I glanced down briefly to see her bottom lip trembling slightly. I groaned and used an arm to force her back into safety behind me.

"You think you can take me, boy? I'm pretty sure your girl there has more of a shot than you do. Half bloods are weak," Nicarla growled.

"I may have half vampire blood, but I don't know any of you that can do _this_," I said, raising my hand and focusing deep within me for the power that usually lay dormant. It was almost easy to tap into, the raging fire that coursed through my veins pulsating towards my finger tips. Flames quickly engulfed my hands, but I felt no burn, no pain.

I heard Carolina shriek in surprise from behind me but I couldn't stop to worry about that now. I had to kill this vampire so that she wouldn't give us away. I just needed enough time to escape with Carolina, I hadn't asked for much, but Nicarla had gotten in the way. It was us or her, and at that point, I wasn't much inclined to let this annoying immortal be the end of me.

I lunged toward her, hands outstretched, aiming for her throat. She dodged deftly to the side, coming back at me with a punch that I barely deflected. I reached for her again, hoping to decapitate her with fire quickly, when suddenly her whole body shot up in flames. It spread quickly from her feet upwards, wrapping around her body like a fiery blanket. I had no idea where it came from, but raw, uncontrollable power was suddenly flowing through me. It was trying to escape out my fingertips with the fire, and because I needed to get out of there quickly and didn't exactly want to prolong Nicarla's suffering, I let it.

I clapped a hand across the vampire's mouth before she could start screaming and give away our position. She thrashed against me so I kicked her legs out from under her and pushed her to the ground, still forcing the flames to stay alive. Her entire body was encased in fire now, pulsating heat and pain that I could somehow sense but not feel. I couldn't tell if Carolina was watching or not, but I knew she'd be horrified by my actions. I pushed away the guilt I might have felt and pushed against Nicarla's throat harder, forcing the fire to burn hotter there. Thick, choking smoke filled the air and threatened to blind me, but somehow I kept going. Her screams turned to muffled gurgles, her thrashing dying down.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, she was still and silent. After I removed my hand, I dropped to my knees and gazed down at the sickening charred mess of where Nicarla's flesh had once joined her head to her torso. Her red eyes were still open, frozen in a mix of pain and horror. I looked away quickly, feeling the bile rise up in my throat.

"Cameron?" I heard Carolina's shaky voice from a few feet behind me.

"Stay back, Lina," I told her. There was no way she should see this.

Almost gently now, I allowed my gift to flow through me again. It was still just as strong as it had been a moment ago, five times stronger than it had ever been, but now it bended more easily to my will. I allowed it to completely consume Nicarla's body, turning her charred remains completely to ash. A soft wind picked up pieces of her and scattered them across the courtyard.

I swallowed down the remorse I felt, trying to remind myself that I'd only done it so that I could get us out of here. This was just to protect the ones I loved. Nessie and Carolina were my first priority.

"Okay, Lina, it's safe now," I said, standing up and turning to face her. Carolina's face was frozen in a mask of horror and her eyes were glazed over slightly. I cringed, extending a hand to see if she would take it. I didn't miss how it shook slightly in the air between us, weakened from using so much energy.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to meet her glassy eyes.

"I just wanted to help," she mumbled strangely, her voice sounding almost possessed.

"What?" I questioned, staring down at her as she reached her hand out to meet mine.

At her touch, I felt the fire within me strengthen again, pulsating to the point where it was almost painful not to unleash it.

Then it hit me.

Carolina was doing it. _She _was intensifying my power. But how? And since when?

_Since she became a vampire? _I reminded myself.

She blinked once, returning to herself and looking up at me in surprise. It was clear she had no idea she'd done it, but as her face quickly clouded with fear, I realised that she still must have been aware of what I'd just done to Nicarla.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, Lina. I promise I won't hurt you," I whispered, trying to regain her trust. We needed to move. Somebody could smell or see the smoke and be here any minute.

"It's okay. Bad lady was trying to keep us from our walk," she said, smiling simply and lifting herself back up into my arms with one hard tug. I quickly adjusted her on my hip and we started walking.

Then running.

Then all out sprinting.

I knew she would be fast enough to run alongside me now, if not in front of me, but I sensed that for right now she needed to be close, to be held.

I ran for at least an hour, eventually coming across the clearing where I'd slept the night before. It wasn't particularly safe, but I needed to rest before we could keep moving.

I made it barely ten feet into the clearing before my sensitive nose picked up a distinctive scent. I froze in the spot, skidding slightly on the damp leaves at my feet.

I set Carolina down just in time to be roughly knocked off my feet.

I felt a fist collide with my face, sending me crashing down to the ground. A reactionary growl slipped out of my mouth but I didn't attack, not yet. The fist pulled back, ready to lash out at me again, but this time I was ready. I dodged to the left and darted quickly to stand behind my attacker. He swivelled on the spot just as fast and was about to send yet another punch in my direction when suddenly two arms tugged him backwards.

"Let me at him!" the voice of the man who'd hit me snarled, loud and angry.

"Oh no you don't," snapped a very familiar voice.

"Fine," the first man groaned after a reluctant pause, directing a loathsome glare at me.

The man I knew best reached forward and helped me to my feet, allowing me to brush myself off before he pulled me into a one-armed, awkward, hug.

"Cameron, my boy, how nice to see you again."

"Yeah, you too, Zach," I said, honestly pleased to see my old coven leader, before directing my gaze to the man who'd attacked me. "Can I ask how you know Jacob?"

**Renesmee POV**

_So hungry_, my stomach whined at me, begging for something, anything.

_Shutup, stomach, you're not helping anyone. And stop trying to eat yourself. Yeah, I see you down there_, I spoke back.

Talking to my stomach had become somewhat of habit of mine. I'd been held against my will in Volterra for three full days by that point, and boy was I hungry.

It hadn't clicked until after I'd returned from visiting my family that that was Aro's plan for me, too. Starvation weakened and caused pain at the same time. Two birds with one stone, so to speak.

But no matter how much my body hurt from lack of food, my heart was hurting more. I'd tried to distract myself in every way I knew, but nothing worked for very long.

_He's gone._

_He doesn't love you._

The words wereconstantly spinning in my head and making it impossible for me to escape their reality.

When I hadn't been moping or crying, I'd spent my day lying on my bed, thinking about escaping, my family, what Aro wanted from me, and strangely enough, I'd been thinking about Jack. His words had frightened me, especially his talk of 'testing' that Aro apparently wanted to do. I wasn't fertile, I knew that. I hadn't had a menstrual cycle in my life, for which I was glad.

Almost as if on cue, I heard a knock on my door and a familiar voice asking if they could enter. I sighed, not even sitting up as I called out, "Whatever, it's not like you'll stay outside if I ask you to."

"Exactly," Jack replied, waltzing calmly into my room as if he did so all the time. Which was almost true. He'd been in to 'check' on me every few hours, apparently under the orders of Aro. I didn't really believe him, though. Every time he said the same thing and I braced myself to hear it again.

"How are you feeling?" he asked the scripted question and I sighed, rolling over to face the wall so I didn't have to endure his hazel stare. Of course, I had the sneaking suspicion that he was taking the opportunity to look at my ass, so I rolled back over and, sure enough, caught him glancing back at my face too quickly. He grinned in a lazy, arrogant way that would have made just about any other girl go weak at the knees, but not me, I was an exception to his crude charm.

He was sleazy and cocky and I was sure wanted nothing more than to use me for his own sick pleasure.

"The same as when you asked me two hours ago. I want to go _home_. I want my family back and I want you to stop bothering me," I retorted, narrowing my eyes at his mock-surprised expression.

"I am both shocked and appalled. Here I am, going out of my way to make sure you're holding up okay, and the repayment I get is this?" he exclaimed in what I was pretty sure was fake anger. Pretty sure.

"Yeah? And what were you expecting? You're helping to hold me _prisoner_! Sorry if I'm not exactly thrilled to see you," I snapped sarcastically.

"You know it doesn't have to be this way. If you'd just co-operate I'm sure that we could work something out," Jack said, sitting on the edge of the bed and casting his eyes down at the floor as if in contemplation.

"Co-operate?" I said, testing the word on my tongue. My stomach rumbled softly but in the silence it seemed much louder.

"Hungry? Yeah, I thought you might be. You should really do something about that."

"Well when they don't give me anything to eat, how can I be expected to 'do something'?" I asked rhetorically, annoyed that he seemed to be rubbing it in how helpless I was.

"Like I said, all you have to do is co-operate. Stop fighting back and just do what Aro says. You'll give in eventually anyway, so why not save yourself this pain?" Jack asked, gesturing at my stomach and paler than usual complexion.

"And what exactly would…. co-operating include?" I asked slowly, cautiously.

I had no actual intention of co-operating, but I hoped that I could at least get some answers out of Jack about why I was really here.

"Well first of all, you have to stop being so stubborn about not drinking blood," Jack stated simply, as though it were the obvious reason that I was here.

"Wait… Aro wants me to drink blood? _That's _why I'm here?" I asked incredulously.

"God no. You're here as leverage for your parents and your family. But whilst you're here, Aro is going to get as much as he can out of you. And that all starts with you Cullens converting to the traditional diet and forgetting all that animal blood bullshit," Jack stated, smiling condescendingly.

"Hold on a sec'. So you're saying that Aro isn't starving us to weaken us or anything? He's starving us so we'll have to give in and drink human blood?" I asked, eyes wide with surprise.

"Well, it was to weaken your family. But he doesn't exactly see you as much of a threat. Hey! Don't look at me like that," he exclaimed when I suddenly glared at him. "He looks at all of us half-bloods like that. The only special one is Cameron, but then again, I guess you already know all about that, don't you?" Jack said, watching carefully for my reaction. I bit down on my lip, having not prepared myself for hearing his name, but other than that, I managed to keep my pain hidden.

"So you do know what he can do? What else do you know about him?" Jack asked, reclining back slightly onto the bed and resting on his elbows so he was only inches away from me.

"Not much," I admitted softly. "Look, I really don't want to talk about it… about him. Can we please not bring him up?" I asked quietly, blinking back the inevitable tears.

"…. He really fucked you over, didn't he?" Jack asked after a moment, smirking down at me.

I groaned and buried my face in the pillow. I didn't want to deal with this right now.

"Just go away. Leave me alone to die," I whispered, but I knew he heard.

"Jesus, you're overreacting a bit, aren't you? I didn't think over-dramatics were your thing," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

I sat up abruptly, turning sharply to face him and finding my face only inches from his. I raised my hand and went to slap him but he swatted away my hand as if I were no more than an inconvenient fly.

"Let's not play this game again, sweetheart. You got away with hitting me once, it sure as Hell isn't going to happen again. Next time you touch me, I'm touching you right back, got it?" Jack whispered, his eyes alight with mischief and the promise that he really wasn't joking.

I glared at him and slowly moved back, further away from him. He reminded me so much of Kyle in that moment that I had to take a few deep breaths to stop the images of the forest, the party, from entering my mind.

"Don't you touch me," I growled.

"That's almost cute, the way you think you could really stop me if I wanted to fuck you," Jack said, the light vanishing from his eyes, replaced by an intense stare and scarily twisted smile. My breath hitched and I tried to control the panic that swept over me at his words. He'd told me a few days ago that Aro wanted to know if I could have children or not, and in some part of my mind I must've realised what that would mean… But to hear Jack say the words so openly, no lies, no softening the blow.

"You wouldn't…." I breathed, trying to inject confidence and warning into my voice, but just like last time I'd been in a similar situation, my voice failed me.

"Oh, I would. And I will. Aro's already given me the go-ahead. I could take you, right now if I wanted…" Jack breathed, inching closer, his eyes predatory. "There would be nothing you could do about it, either. You're trapped here and we both know it." He was so close I could feel his breath on my cheek. I just about started hyperventilating but was unable to free myself from his gaze or force myself to move.

"Please… no, don't, I-I just d-don't p-p-please, I can't-" I started to sob, my eyes clenching shut. My arms reflexively wrapped around my knees as I drew them close to my chest, pulling myself into a tiny ball. I began to shake uncontrollably as I felt the tears leak from behind my closed eyelids.

"Damn. I didn't think you were going to break so easily. That's a shame. I like a little fight in a girl," Jack taunted as I felt his weight leave the bed. I didn't dare crack an eyelid open, but instead just stayed in my position, trying to block out noises.

There was perfect silence and I didn't sense anything moving, but I still couldn't bring myself to open my eyes and check. I didn't know Jack very well but something told me that he would be exactly the type to mess with me like this, let me think he'd left me alone when he'd really been there the whole time.

"He's gone," a voice that didn't belong to Jack suddenly said, jarring me quickly out of my silent trance. I just barely cracked an eye open half a millimetre, wary of who was in my room now.

I straightened up from my fetal position and breathed a shaky sigh of relief when I saw that Jack had left the room. Instead, I looked up to Alec's face and saw him looking at me with what I thought was concern.

"Thanks," I murmured unsteadily, rubbing at my eyes and trying to eliminate the signs that I'd been crying.

"You're welcome," Alec replied, smiling somewhat uncertainly at me. He turned to leave, I guessed to resume his guard post outside, but hesitated a few steps away from me. "He's lying, you know. Aro hasn't agreed to anything yet, Jack is just trying to scare you," he informed me with a glance back in my direction.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" I sighed, flopping back onto the bed and staring at the white ceiling.

"What do you mean?" I sensed Alec hesitantly step closer again, his voice nonchalant, but the fact that he was still here talking to me betrayed his curiosity.

"It doesn't matter if Aro says yes today or tomorrow. Jack's going to… he's going t-to," I cut myself off before my words turned into full-blown sobs.

"I know…" Alec said. His voice made it seem like he was trying to console me, or at least not make me feel any worse, but he made no other sound so I knew that his compassion didn't stretch as far as say, letting me go. I laughed slightly at the thought of it, at the idea that maybe someone in the Volturi was good. That someone wasn't a complete jerk who just wanted to hurt me as well as the ones I loved.

"Why are you laughing?" Alec asked, and I sat up so I could see his bemused expression.

"It's funny, for a moment there, I honestly believed you had a conscience. I thought maybe you weren't all bad. But it was just wishful thinking on my part, it's not like anyone cares what happens to me." I knew my words had been harsh, but still, it wasn't like Alec could be offended by anything that _I _said.

"You're wrong," I heard him reply as he retreated back towards the door and his guard position.

Back to Aro.

**Only real messages from me this chapter would be the casting of a few of my OCs I came up with… okay, hit me with your opinions on these people.**

_**Jack- Eric Dill**_

_**Carolina- Kylie Laduca **_

**I can't come up with a Cameron yet :S If anyone has any ideas, please let the rest of us in on them. I have no idea how they picked Edward now…. This shit is tough…**

**Turns out review button isn't broken, just lonely. Maybe it needs a few more clicks? Psycho-therapy is expensive, I really think we should stop this before it becomes a problem, people. **


	21. Chapter 21

Twilight doesn't belong to me. Or does it? …. Nope. Guess not. 

Thanks for the reviews everyone. As repayment for being such a terrible updater the past few chapters, here is chapter 21- LESS THAN A WEEK AND A HALF since the last one. 

Show me some love?

-Chapter 21-

**Renesmee POV**

My stomach was now well and truly empty.

I'd been stuck in Volterra for six days and I could feel myself gradually losing my mind. I hadn't been allowed out to see my family again, and none of them had been allowed to visit me. My only visitor had been Jack. And then there had been my fleeting conversations with Alec, who sometimes talked to me through the gap in the door when he was particularly bored.

I found that I actually didn't mind him, but I knew that there was a very high probability that his outward kindness was just an act. In another life, maybe we could have been friends. But I doubted it.

Jack hadn't been so crude to me as he had been a few days before and had kept away from the topic of sex. Instead, he'd been trying to convince me to try some human blood. At one point I'd nearly agreed with him, _anything_ to just stop feeling so hungry. But that weak moment had passed quickly. I didn't even feel hunger pains anymore, so it hardly mattered if I listened to Jack or not.

I didn't _feel_ anything at all anymore.

I'd been summoned before Aro once, but he'd only briefly wanted to touch my hand. I guessed it had been to see if I had any plans of joining him or co-operating. My other guess was that he wanted to make sure I hadn't made any decent escape plans. I'd thought of some, but all of them involved an accomplice or being left unattended for at least an hour so I could make a break for it.

But no, I didn't think there was any easy way that I was getting out of there.

I'd become very well acquainted with the ceiling, having spent most of my days staring at it in boredom. I slept a lot, too. At least 15 hours a day, which I knew was far too much. Somehow, though I was doing absolutely nothing, I just needed the rest more.

It was almost dark on the sixth day before something finally happened to break the monotony of my life. I was doing my thing, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, eyes wide and glassy, when I heard a soft knock on the door.

I didn't bother replying, I never did. I expected it to be Jack, but was surprised when Alec's now-familiar presence was the one I sensed entering the room. I attempted to sit up and recline on my elbows but failed dismally so instead I just flopped back down, knowing that if Alec wanted to talk, he would have to come to me. He knew I couldn't exactly move easily anymore and had no strength left so he didn't press me about it. I appreciated it.

"How are you today?" he asked somewhat pleasantly, leaning against one of the bedposts and frowning down at me. My eyes flickered to him once as I half shrugged in response. "So that would be… hungry, angry and sad?" he guessed with a rueful smile.

"I've got the tri-factor, that's for sure," I muttered weakly. My voice had faded quickly down to a subdued rasp, which annoyed me. I hated not being able to express myself. Every time I tried to tell Jack to go to Hell he just laughed at me.

"Are you planning on getting up today?" Alec asked.

"Nope. All those things I planned to do today will just have to wait. I'm very busy doing absolutely nothing," I mumbled under my breath, feeling slightly delirious.

"Did you want to go for a walk?" he asked, his eyes uncertain as he assessed my defeated, exhausted posture.

I thought about it for a moment before I decided that I might as well.

A few minutes later I was being led by Alec down the corridor outside my room. We came across a wide, stone archway and passed under it. I could practically hear Alec groaning at my slow pace but he didn't say anything, which was good of him. He probably knew I'd snap at him. None of it was exactly my fault.

We came across a small courtyard bordered with hedges and then a stone wall that ran around the top. There was a small park bench on one side underneath a large tree and I made a beeline for it, feeling my overtired body already ready to sit down again. Alec chuckled but followed me to the chair. He swung his lean body easily up onto the first branch, just to the left of my head.

"So… why are we out here?" I asked, genuinely curious. I got the strange suspicion that he wasn't exactly meant to have let me out of my room, but had anyway.

"Does there need to be some top secret reason? I thought you might enjoy a change of scenery," he replied.

"Yeah. Right," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

"You know we're not all bad, don't you?" he said suddenly, his tone sounding almost frustrated.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Us, the guard. We're not all bad. Sure, we serve Aro and we do our duty, but we're not nearly as bad as some make us seem…" he trailed off angrily.

"Yeah, well… Remains to be seen," I replied. He glanced down at me with one eyebrow raised and I had to laugh weakly. "Okay, maybe you've been almost nice…. a few times. But I never know anymore. Whether people really mean what they say, or mean how they act… I don't even know what's real anymore," I told him honestly.

"I'm not acting," Alec snapped suddenly.

"Okay, fine, you're not," I agreed hurriedly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's just… I've been in your position before. It's not much fun," he explained.

"Oh my God, I should have known. You've been held prisoner by the Volturi, too?" I asked sarcastically. I didn't really believe him.

"Yes. Over three hundred years ago, when I first joined the guard, actually. Well, before I joined them. When I didn't want to."

Wait, he was serious? Alec had been reluctant to join the Volturi? They'd imprisoned him like this, too?

"Are you kidding me? Why? I thought… Well, I guess I never really thought about it, but I thought you and Jane were Aro's greatest followers. You're his favourites," I pointed out, still not sure if he was telling the truth.

"I'm not lying to you. You don't know much about me, do you? How I came to be a vampire?" Alec asked. I shook my head, trying to recall if Carlisle had ever mentioned, but I was positive I would have remembered hearing something like that.

"It was the seventeenth century. Jane and I were twins, living, ironically enough, in Transylvania," he began. "I don't suppose you're able to recall to the last time we visited your home in Washington?"

"Parts of it I remember," I told him.

"Do you remember two vampires names Stefan and Vladimir?" Alec asked, his expression turning stormy as he spat out their names.

"Yes. They're the ones with the vendetta against you, aren't they?" I asked, remembering the two strange vampires who had appeared out of nowhere to side with us against the Volturi. Everyone else had been there because they wanted to help protect me and my family, Stefan and Vladimir had only been looking for an excuse to fight, to overthrow the Italian family that had stolen their power from them hundreds of years ago.

"A vendetta. How appropriate," Alec half smiled, jumping easily down from his perch in the tree to sit beside me on the bench as he became more involved in the story. "Well, there was a reason they called us the witch twins. During my human life, I lived in their 'territory.' Aro, Caius and Marcus controlled most of Europe, but there were parts that still remained out of their grasp. I know it's hard to imagine a time where they weren't so all-powerful, but three hundred years ago there was little more room to breathe, shall we say," he continued.

"Now, Stefan and Vladimir weren't the most discrete rulers. They left bloody messes wherever they went, and Transylvania was the worst. They killed in broad daylight, left evidence. I suppose that's where a lot of the myths started. It was those two original brothers and their carelessness that led to all of the vampire myths and legends that plague our kind today.

"To get everyone off their trail, Stefan and Vladimir came up with a scapegoat to take the blame for their mess. And that was what started the seventeenth century witch trials. My sister Jane, as you know, has a gift for inflicting pain and I for removing it. It's been that way ever since we were born, even as humans. But it was much less pronounced. She could only cause headaches back then, and I could only relieve them." I nodded, wondering what a pain Jane would have been as she grew up.

"No matter how subtle, our 'gifts' were enough to get us noticed. See, the humans had been burning other, innocent, humans for a few months before someone finally clued in about what Jane and I could do. Before either of us could so much as embrace our parents in farewell, we were tied to that stake." Alec's voice broke off abruptly and I saw his gaze flicker to the archway we'd entered through.

Jane appeared a moment later, her hood pulled back to reveal her demonic eyes. Strange, Alec's red eyes never seemed quite as threatening…

"Brother, what are you doing out here with the filthy half breed?" she sneered, eyeing me up and down in pure disgust and loathing. I swallowed loudly, extremely uncomfortable. Any second now she was going to do it, going to hurt me again. I cringed, my eyes snapping shut in fearful anticipation.

For just a fraction of a second, I did feel it, the horribly familiar stabbing pain, but then nothing. It stopped so suddenly I was almost sure I'd imagined it for a moment. I opened my eyes, trying to see what had happened, but all I saw was blackness. And then I noticed the deathly silence, the distant sounds of birds chirping had disappeared. I tried to stand in panic but my limbs were…. Gone?

And then after a terrifying, uncertain moment, it clicked.

Alec was using his power on me at the same time as Jane, cancelling out her ability. As soon as I realised that, I calmed down just a fraction, but not enough to be put completely at ease. Why was he doing it?

I tried to time how long I was gone for but lost count after a few minutes.

Then, just as suddenly as my world had been shut off, it was suddenly switched back on. Light blinded me for just a second and I blinked a few times in shock. We were back in my room, me sitting in the center of my bed and Alec perched on one end, staring at me.

"What just happened?" I asked, my words coming out strangely.

"Jane," Alec muttered, rolling his eyes.

"I-I… what?" I stammered, looking around us anxiously, worried that she was here now, too.

"Don't worry, she's gone," Alec assured me. "And I'm sorry about her. She's always been…. Like that."

"Oh. Did you… did you both use your power on me at the same time?" I asked, now quite curious to know what had happened.

Alec nodded. "Yes. One would think that we would cancel each other out, but no. I'm stronger, always have been," he explained in a tired voice.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"I'm the elder twin, that's my guess. My extra three minutes of time on this Earth give me just enough of an edge to be able to stop her," he said.

"Oh…. Thank you," I said, meaning it.

I'd always been so terrified of Jane's power that it hadn't even occurred to me that there might be another way of blocking her power, other than with my Mom's mental shield.

"You're welcome," Alec smiled, the first genuine smile I'd seen from him since I'd met him. I grinned back before something caught up with me.

"How'd I get back here?" I asked.

"Oh… I, er, carried you. I hope I didn't offend you, I just needed to get you out of there before Jane had another of her tantrums," he explained, looking at the floor.

"Oh, that's fine. Don't worry about it," I said, wondering why Alec looked so awkward. "So… are you going to finish your story?" I asked hesitantly, worried about pushing him too far after he'd just basically rescued me from Jane. I didn't want to go asking too much of him and ruin what little semblance of friendship I imagined we had developed.

"Of course. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. My sister and I had just been tied to the stake. I can still remember that day, you know. I can smell the smoke, hear the angry cries of the crowd, feel the ropes cutting into my skin. Jane was cussing and screaming for all she was worth but I remained silent. I knew there was no reasoning with this people, and part of me thought that maybe they were right. Maybe we _were _unnatural and God wanted us to die." He shrugged.

"Either way, just before the flames reached us, something came flying at me. It snapped the ropes and stake in one quick movement and then Jane and I were being carried away. So fast. I thought we were flying. It was Aro. Back in his younger days, he did a lot of… 'recruiting' by himself. Now he less prefers to get his hands dirty. Anyway, he set us down once we were far away from the town and stared at the two of us. He took one of our hands each and closed his eyes. Now I know he was reading our thoughts, probably checking to see if the rumours he'd heard of supernaturally gifted witches was true. He knew there was no such thing and was interested in recruiting us for his guard and after he realised the stories were true, he took us to Italy," Alec explained, ending his story.

"But wait, that doesn't explain how you were held prisoner here?" I pointed out.

"Ah, I forgot. At first, I was… reluctant. Jane took to vampirism like a duck to water. She flourished and bloomed under Aro's watch. I… took a little more convincing. We were both turned as soon as we reached this castle, but for some reason, my new nature didn't exactly stay with me right away. You see, I didn't want to become like the humans who would so easily murder two young children. I didn't want to be a killer," Alec explained, his eyes far away.

"What changed your mind?" I asked quietly.

"Time. It took almost a month for me to break my little self-induced fast. But then I started to enjoy that side of being a vampire. The bloodshed didn't make me happy, but the satisfaction of sating my thirst did. I guess I just gave in," he explained, getting to his feet and smiling sadly down at me. He turned and strode toward the door, but I called out his name to stop him before he left.

"Is that what Aro wants from me? He wants me to give in?" I asked, for the first time considering that maybe I would have to. Maybe I would have to give in, or I would really die.

"No, Aro wants more from you than he wanted from me. He wants your whole family, he wants your allegiance. He wants to make an example out of you that anyone who crosses the Volturi will either follow them or die."

"Die… So I'm really going to die if I don't give in?" I asked, my voice strangely hollow.

"I'm afraid so."

"Why me?" I asked rhetorically after a long moment of silence. "It'd be different if I'd done something wrong, if I'd threatened to expose everyone… But I didn't… I haven't _done _anything. I'm being punished for existing the way I do. We all are," I mumbled to myself.

"Do you really want to get out of this room?" Alec spoke up quietly. I jumped slightly, having thought he'd already left the room.

"Yes," I replied tentatively.

"Then you need to… you need to be with Jack and start drinking human blood." His words were regretful, like he wished he didn't have to say them, like he'd rather I didn't do either thing.

I sighed sadly. Some part of me had expected him to say that, but just one part of me, one tiny part had wondered if maybe he would help me escape in a different way. I couldn't stop the tiny flash of disappointment that swept over me as I realised there really was no way out.

"If you want, I can… I can do my thing when Jack… you know. I can make it not hurt. I'll make sure you don't see or feel a thing," Alec offered softly.

I looked up at him, wondering if he was being honest with me. Would he really?

"Please," I whispered, wiping at the corner of my eye where one traitorous tear threatened to slip down my cheek.

Alec nodded once more before turning his back on me and leaving the room.

**Cameron POV**

"Okay, Zach, you first. Why are you here?" I asked as we all stood in a tense half circle. The werewolf/shape shifter, the two half blooded vampires and then Carolina, the full vampire. Maybe we should all walk into a bar?

"To get your ass out of trouble. Just like old times," replied the closest thing to Father figure I'd ever had.

"Of course you are," I half laughed. Carolina tugged on my sleeve, her eyes demanding to know what was going on. I simply shrugged and took her tiny hand in mine. "Where are the others?" I asked, knowing that my old brothers wouldn't be far away.

"Slovenia. They're a day's journey away if I need them. If _we _need them, I should say. I thought I'd do a little recon before I got everyone involved in your mess," Zach replied. His words were harsh but his tone was half joking, letting me know he was somewhat glad to see me. I watched as his eyes swept over Carolina, curious, and if I wasn't mistaken, a tad indulgent.

I nodded, half smiling at the fact that I now wasn't alone. Then, I turned to Jacob, feeling my face fall in preparation for what I was sure would not be a pleasant exchange.

"I'm here because some _asshole _saw fit to take advantage of my best friend's kind nature and lure her into a fucking trap!" Jacob snarled, his eyes angry. His frame trembled slightly and I took a cautionary step backwards, pushing Carolina behind me.

"Okay then…" I replied.

If I told Jacob the truth… he probably wouldn't believe me.

If I continued with the lie... there was a good chance I would end up dead. Zach was strong and so was I, but I didn't believe for a second we were strong enough to take on a mature werewolf and live to talk about it. And there was no way I was letting Carolina fight. Over my dead body. Hell, not even then.

"You, explain. Right now," Zach ordered, his eyes narrowing as he took in my hesitant expression. He hated lies. That had been one of his cardinal rules when I'd been a part of his coven. No bullshit. I sighed, knowing I was going to have to go with the truth. Well, parts of it…

I took about five minutes to explain the story, how Carolina and I had been captured by the Volturi and how I'd been forced to co-operate to save her life. I told them both everything, except my real feelings for Renesmee. I wasn't exactly prepared to share those in front of Jacob. I explained everything up to the now, Carolina's transition, and my desire to now try and free Renesmee and the Cullens.

"So _you _want to help now… You, what, feel guilty? Bit fucking late, kid," Jacob snapped, not looking at all phased by my explanation.

"Something like that," I muttered, not catching anyone's eye.

"She's the pretty one, isn't she?" Carolina's tiny voice interjected into the conversation, causing all of us to drop our eyes to her small form.

"You've seen her?" I asked, my tone halting and suddenly not very sturdy.

"Yup. Janey showed me her room while she was asleep. She's reeaaal pretty," Carolina supplied sweetly.

"She sure is," I agreed, forgetting everyone around me.

I didn't have long to forget, though, before there was a large hand constricting around my throat.

"You _don't _get to talk about her," Jacob thundered, his form towering over me as he attempted to crush my windpipe.

"Don't hurt my brother. I'll kill you."

Jacob's hand disappeared but I was too busy gaping at Carolina in shock to really notice. Her stare was livid and she had a tiny palm outstretched towards Jacob. Her voice was… chilling, horrifying, all the innocence gone from her face.

"No, Lina, don't," I spoke quietly, sinking down onto one knee to face her. "You're never to talk like that again, do you understand?" I tried to keep my tone gentle but it was difficult with everything that was rushing through me. The power of my gift flowed through me, even more intense in its fervour than it had been earlier, practically begging to be unleashed. She obviously was unaware of her power and didn't seem to notice that she'd triggered it.

I was terrified that if I didn't calm Carolina down then one of us would end up hurting someone.

"Okay. I'll be good," she said, blinking a few times as her tone and face returned to normal. I exhaled loudly, drawing her into my arms for a hug. She returned it and then allowed me to straighten up, holding my hand tightly again.

"Okay…. Care to explain what the Hell just happened?" Jacob asked, staring back and forth between Carolina and I like we'd each grown another head.

"She's new to the whole vampire thing. I'm… sorry she threatened you," I replied.

"Not that. You. What did you just do?" Zach said, his stare almost as confused as Jacob's. He pointed behind me.

I glanced quickly over my shoulder, but then had to stop and double take. Where there had been a tall tree just moments before, there was now a smouldering pile of ashes, still smoking lightly.

"I was helping," Carolina chirped brightly, smiling proudly up at me.

Holy fuck. With Carolina's help, I'd just unknowingly burnt a fifteen-foot tall tree to the ground in seconds.

"You lit up like a fucking supernova. Seriously. And your eyes. It was like you were on fire… but inside. If I'd known you could do that, I sure as Hell wouldn't have let you out of the coven," Zach muttered under his breath, glancing between the ashes and me.

"Wait. So you've got vamp magic, too?" Jacob asked, his eyes growing wide with recognition.

"Yeah, I guess. It's not normally this powerful, but I think… I think Carolina has a power, too. I think she's like a- a… a power pack or something. She intensifies it," I explained in an excited voice.

"If we could control it… Imagine how many of the guard we could take out at once," Zach breathed, and I saw Jacob shoot him an appreciative smile.

Oh no.

"No. She's too young. She doesn't know how to fight, there's no way in Hell she's going back there," I declared adamantly.

"I want to help!" Carolina cried suddenly, frowning at me. I don't think she even knew what we were talking about, but it was clear that she had set her mind on helping me.

"You could stay here. That would help me a lot," I lied, trying to get Zach and Jacob to catch my eye so I could enlist their help in keeping her safe.

"No way. I say, if the kid wants to help, she should get to help," Jacob said, contradicting me in the worst way.

"Stay and guard the tree?" I suggested lamely, mostly talking to myself now. Carolina had already moved from my side to stand with the other two and was smiling at me hopefully.

Jacob smiled suddenly and started striding away into the forest, only stopping for a moment when I called out to ask where he was going.

"I'm going to go phase, tell the pack to move in. With your coven of half bloods and my shifters, we should be able to make some sort of impression. With 'flame boy' here on our side, I don't see how we can lose," Jacob said, smiling triumphantly at his own logic.

"Wait just a second, you," Zach said.

"What is it now? We need to move, while we still have the element of surprise," Jacob protested loudly as he turned back to face us.

"These sparkly bastards have had centuries to sit and plan for any asshat who thought to come at them with the element of surprise. You bet your ass they're going to have a plan in place for it, one we'll no doubt fall right into unless we go about this just so," Zach said.

Jacob frowned and then strode back towards us.

"Okay then, you're right," he admitted grudgingly. "What's the plan then?" he asked Zach.

My old mentor grinned, suddenly back in his element.

"Step one, we need to figure out who we can lose in this. Who's willing to die for this," Zach clarified.

That sobered us up pretty quickly.

"I am," Jacob and I both answered at the same time. We shot each other a look but returned to the plan when Zach coughed loudly.

"I'll help," Carolina offered, smiling obliviously. I eyed the other two men seriously, speaking for Carolina in saying that she would _not _be dying in this operation. They both nodded.

"I know the Cullens would all die for Renesmee, without a second thought," Jacob supplied.

"And I don't plan on dying, but I'm already out here, safe. So, this Rusumae-"

"Renesmee," Jacob and I both corrected Zach. At the same time.

"Okay, Renesmee it is. So, _Renesmee_ is living, but just about everyone else is all in on this," Zach summarised, eyeing both Jacob and I to make sure we were both serious about this. I was. I knew there was a good chance I'd die, but if it was for Renesmee, then it would mean something.

"Great," Zach continued, "then that brings us to step two. Remove the vulnerable. And right now, that would be Renesmee. We need to get her out before we start any sort of attack plan."

I nodded. This went along with what I had originally planned out. But I was willing to bet it would make a world of difference having so many others on my side.

"I'll go and get her, right now," Jacob offered, glancing once at Zach as if to check it that was okay. Apparently it wasn't, because Zach shook his head sternly.

"Boy, I'm only a half blooded vampire but I could smell you two miles away. There's no way you could get in and out undetected. We need someone who's scent has already been there, who can get in and out undetected. And someone who's willing to die for this."

"That leaves me. I'll do it. I'll go get her," I said, not altogether unhappy about that development in the plan.

Zach nodded once, a smile on his face that told me he'd been planning for that all along and had just been waiting for me to put the pieces together.

"Well… what are you waiting for? We'll stay back here and organise the next step. You have two hours before we assume you're dead," Zach said, his smile fading as he motioned impatiently towards Volterra.

"Right," I said, affectionately patting Carolina once on the head before turning and sprinting off in the direction of the Italian city where they were keeping her.

_It's okay, baby. I'm coming for you_.

**Renesmee POV**

I awoke with a start, my frame jolting into awareness. I looked around me in fear, trying and failing miserably to get to my feet. I was too weak. The room was dark as pitch, but I could still see fairly well. My gaze flitted over to the door and I stared at it, waiting to see if that was where the noise had come from.

I'd abandoned the bed earlier that day, choosing the corner on the floor instead. I'd thought perhaps the change of scenery would alleviate some of the tedium I felt, but I'd been wrong. Up until then, apparently.

I jumped when I heard the noise again, a distant, echoic banging sound. Before I could recover, the door was thrown open and light spilled across the marble floor. I flinched, recoiling as far back into the cold, stone wall as I could. My eyes shut, my heart hammering loudly in my chest as I waited for whoever they were to kill me. It had been nearly a week, Aro wouldn't keep me alive much longer if I wasn't going to co-operate. This was it, this was Demetri or Felix come to end my life.

Or it was Jack come to take me against my wishes. I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling myself break out in a cold sweat.

"Renesmee," an all too familiar voice breathed from nearby. I squinted through my eyelashes, though I didn't need to see Cameron's form to know that it was him. I opened my eyes fully once I was sure it was him, taking in his appearance briefly. I hated the involuntary relief that surged through me when I realised he wasn't hurt. He didn't have a scratch on him.

_Yeah, he's just fine. Meanwhile, you rot in a cell, starving to death and facing either a future of Aro's sick tests or an early death. _

I tried to focus on my anger, but felt it slip as I took in the familiar golden blonde hair, the blue oceans of his eyes with their foamy grey peaks. His very gaze penetrated me to the core and I squirmed further into the wall, wishing I could simply melt through the rock so I didn't have to feel his eyes on me. It hurt so much just having him near, but I knew the second he left the pain would increase tenfold.

I hated that I still loved him. I _hated _it, abhorred it with every cell of my being.

But stubbornness will only take a person so far before they have to take the out and face up to what they've been avoiding.

It took me a few seconds to realise he hadn't said anything or made any move to approach me further. I wanted desperately to know why he was here, but I could not bring myself to speak or even to ask him with my mind. In silence, I waited at least another ten seconds before I heard him exhale deeply.

"Come with me," he said, his tone unreadable.

I didn't reply, instead, directing my gaze back down at the floor and tracing the patterns that the cracks made with my eyes.

"Look, I know I haven't done a thing to make you trust me. In fact, I've done the opposite. But if you don't come with me now, your family will pay the price for it," he said, his voice quiet and serious.

I glanced back up at him, glaring at him and trying to convey just how much I wanted to hate him in that moment. He knew the only way I was moving voluntarily was if it meant protecting my family. With a sharp, angry nod, I agreed. I was _only _doing it for my family.

He watched me try and rise to the balls of my feet. I wavered slightly but managed to make it to a somewhat unsteady standing position. I expected him to turn and lead the way, but he merely stepped back, gesturing for me to go first. I took one step forward and promptly collapsed onto my knees. I'd told my leg to move, to take my weight, but I was simply didn't have enough strength to hold myself up.

"Can you walk?" Cameron asked, his voice detached.

"I haven't had a thing to eat in a week. Give me a second," I snapped, my voice coming out raspy and frail instead of defiant like I wished it would.

I heard Cameron's sharp intake of breath just a second before I felt the unforgettable sensation of his hands on me. Before I could pull away, he'd lifted me easily to my feet and was steadying me with his hands on my waist. My eyes snapped to his face, murderously angry, but when I caught his expression, my own faltered. His eyes held worry and concern, his lips twisted downward in a frown, something I hadn't expected.

"They've been starving you," he said, but it wasn't a question.

"Yes," I replied in a breathless monotone. There was absolute silence for a long, drawn out moment. He stared at me and I stared back, entranced.

"Fuck," I heard him curse a moment later, his face whipping around to face the door. I assumed he'd heard someone coming, but I couldn't figure out why he was panicking. He had nothing to fear from the Volturi, he was one of them. "Come on, this way," he exclaimed, his voice once again hushed. I stared pointedly at him, getting more confused by the second.

Without waiting for me to agree, he swept me up in his arms, bridal-style, and began walking. I tried not to feel anything, not happiness at being back in his arms, not anger or sadness or loss. While he held me, the warmth of his familiar body so close to mine, I just tried to be numb.

It must have worked, because the next thing I knew, I was being roughly awoken. I sat up too fast and felt unfamiliar vertigo spin my consciousness out of control for a few short seconds.

"Great, you're awake. Come here, we don't have much time," Cameron's voice murmured from the shadows near me. I glanced up, noting that we were outside and that the moon was dark, almost nonexistent that night. The tiniest sliver of light pierced the sky, shedding just enough moonlight for me to be able to tell that we were above ground again. The slightly dank smell was familiar, and the alleyways were made of the same sandstone that I recognized, so I knew that we must have still been in Volterra.

I remembered Cameron just then and that he had asked me to go to him. I considered ignoring him, after all, I was outside, I was potentially free. If I could just get far enough away from him…

But no, I was too weak. I could still feel how frail my body felt, like all of my energy had been sucked right out of me. There was no way I would be able to run. I considered simply lying still, unresponsive, but something in me was already sitting up before I could really think things through. Gingerly, I got to my feet and moved to where Cameron had told me. I'd resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't escaping, that I would die here. I didn't figure that anything Cameron could be doing now would be terribly much worse than what I was already facing.

"We don't have a lot of time, but we're not going to get very far with you in the state you're in. Drink." Cameron said just as I reached the shadows next to him. We were in a small alleyway inside an alleyway. It was really more of an indent in the stonework than an alleyway, but it was just big enough for the two of us to stand a few feet apart but still remain mostly obscured from sight from anyone watching.

"Nessie, please, I'm serious, we have to hurry. Please drink," Cameron repeated. I glanced down at his empty hands, looking for a water bottle or something. I came up blank, seeing only his arms, with one sleeve rolled up to the crook of his elbow. Wait…

"No. I won't," I said immediately, stepping as far away from his as I could in the limited space.

"You have to. I need to you to be able to run, this is the only way. There's no time for anything else," Cameron explained, his eyes darting furiously around us.

"You're crazy. No, I'm not doing it," I remarked, trying to ignore how my body was trying to force my feet forward, anything to end my hunger.

"Please, just do it. Trust me. We need to hurry, we've got to get out of here," Cameron replied, his tone turning desperate as he stared me down.

"What? Why? And run where?"

"It doesn't matter. Just hurry, they're going to be looking for you soon."

"I-I.." my voice trailed off as I stared at his arm, my eyes following the blue outlines of his veins right up to where they were concealed beneath his shirt. I found them again, just at the edge of his collar, leading up to his jugular vein. Memories, flashes of the sweet, tangy flavour I'd only once tasted seized me as I stared. His hot pulse smacked in his veins, taunting me, tempting me… God, I was so hungry. When I allowed myself to think about it, I couldn't rid myself of his mouth watering scent.

Before I realised I'd moved, I'd lunged at him. I didn't take the proffered arm, no, my teeth found purchase on the side of his neck.

My vampire side wanted nothing more than to rip, tear and drain every last drop of blood, but something else in me somehow managed to cling to the last shred of sanity I had left. My teeth sank through his skin like it was made of the softest butter and before I could even think about what I was doing, his sweet blood was staining my lips, sating my thirst.

Cameron's hands went to the sides of my face, but he didn't try to pry me off him. Instead, his hands stroked my hair lightly. I could hear his pained gasps, but I couldn't stop myself. As the sweet liquid poured down my throat, I couldn't help the memories that surfaced. Flashes of skin, searching lips, ragged breaths and whispers of 'I love you' filled my head, targeting me directly where I hurt most. Straight to the heart.

I don't know how long I drank from him, it could have been ten seconds, it could have been thirty, but some part of me managed to break out of my head. My rational thinking had been caged, held prisoner by my thirst, but somehow it broke free and stopped me. I pulled away suddenly, wiping my lips on the back of my arm. I looked at Cameron, his eyes screwed up in pain and the bloody teeth marks I'd left on his skin.

"I'm s-," I started to apologize, feeling dread course through me as though _it_ was filling my veins, instead of the blood I had just taken, but he cut me off.

"It's… It's fine," he panted after a moment, cutting across my apology. He reached down and pulled a strip of material from his sleeve, balling it up and pressing it gently against the side of his neck. Being a half vampire, I knew his wound would clot easily and would only take a few minutes to heal, but that didn't stop the part of me inside that was in agony over his pain.

Cameron's eyes fluttered open and he stared at me, his eyes unreadable. I almost smiled in reassurance before I remembered… everything.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, noticing how already my voice was stronger, my limbs less jelly-like.

"We're going to… to… escape," he breathed, straightening up from the wall he had been using as a brace.

"I… I don't understand?" I replied, feeling my heart beating furiously. Escape? Why? He was one of the bad guys.

_Why is he helping me?_

Cameron blinked rapidly then, seeming to come back to himself.

"You don't need to understand. We just have to hurry, come on," he said, his tone quickening with urgency once more.

He went first, ducking his head outside the alleyway to check if the coast was clear. He looked back and nodded at me, waiting until I moved to follow him before starting to sprint downhill, deeper into the alleyway. I suppressed my doubts because, for whatever reason, I was free, I wasn't hungry, and I was running.

And I was with the one person who could make my world seem right again.

**Okayyyy. Finally some action happening. Who's excited? I'm excited.**

**Yeah, this 'short' chapter got out of control and I couldn't think where to break it without ruining later chapter plans. Oh well, more reads for you guys I guess :)**

**Review because I love you all.**


	22. Chapter 22

Twilight = Stephenie Meyer's  
This piece of internet crap = Mine…. But not really, cause it's fanfiction. I don't actually think it's possible to own it :p

Thanks for the reviews, there was more than usual. So let me get this straight…. Faster updates = more reviews?

OK

I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer than the last, I had exams. But now I'm on my 2 month summer break (yay!) so hopefully we'll have this story finished by the end of that. Though I will be sad to leave it behind… Vote in the poll on profile if you want a sequel, remember.

-Chapter 22-

**Renesmee POV**

We ran for at least an hour, but with my weakened body, it felt like so much longer.

Just when I didn't think I could take it anymore, Cameron called out from a patch of woodland up ahead, announcing that we were 'there' and I didn't have to run any more. I sighed gratefully and sank onto the ground where I stood, ignoring the sticks and leaves that dug into me.

"Nessie!" a booming voice called from nearby. I sat up in surprise, my head spinning as I tried to make out Jacob's figure in the waning moonlight. It wasn't difficult, considering the 7-foot-something of space that he took up. He ran towards me quickly, bending to pick me up from the floor as if I were no heavier than an infant, which- to him- I wasn't. His large fingers wrapped around the tops of my arms and he held me an arm's length away, his deep eyes surveying me from head to foot.

"You're okay," he breathed, pulling me suddenly toward him and holding me tightly. I sighed in relief and then realised with embarrassment that my face was wet. How long had I been crying for? I sniffled into Jacob's shirt and held onto him tightly, incredibly glad that he was there. I didn't care that we'd been fighting the last time we spoke, I didn't even think about how or why he was there, I just let him hold me as I cried.

I didn't love him romantically, but he was my best friend, my soul mate. When I was near him, I felt everything in me exhale with happiness and relief, as though I'd been apart from him too long. And this time, I had. It had been over a month since I'd seen my best friend, which was actually a record. It hurt him more to be away from me, though, I could tell every time I looked into his eyes. I knew that wouldn't have changed, even without looking now, I knew. That made the tears start to flow faster, guilt now bearing down on me along with everything else I was trying so hard not to feel.

I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to just lie down and snuggle up to Jacob's warm chest like I had as a child, but I knew that there was more I needed to know, more answers I needed, before I could so much as think about closing my eyes. I managed to pull away from the safety of Jacob's arms after a few minutes of comforting silence and stared up at him gratefully.

"You're here," I whispered, wiping at my eyes.

"Always, Nessie, always," Jacob replied simply, taking my hand and pulling me in the direction that Cameron had disappeared minutes earlier.

"Do… do you know why he came to get me?" I asked softly, whispering now. I definitely didn't want Cameron to hear, to know that I still cared.

"He said he felt guilty," Jacob replied, meeting my eye with an even stare. I nodded quickly, stifling whatever emotion that news caused in me. It didn't matter.

We crested a slight hill then and I gasped in surprise at what I saw. A sort of campsite was nestled casually amongst the trees and a fire crackled merrily in the center of a group of people I recognized.

"Nessie-bear!" a familiar voice rang out in the clear night air, causing all the heads to turn in my direction.

"Seth! It's so good to see you," I grinned as he jumped to his feet and jogged towards me, letting him pull me into a hug that I returned gladly. I hadn't seen the wolf pack in almost 6 months, another first. All the others came forward and we each embraced. Most of the figures I'd grown up with were there: Seth, Paul, Jared, Quil, Embry and, surprisingly, Leah. Her hug was a little stiff, but even she seemed glad to see me.

There was a flurry of questions being directed at me, everyone talking at once, and I tried to listen but found myself distracted. Just over the top of Jacob's shoulder, I could see two unfamiliar figures hunched over near a tree. I glanced at Jacob once before detaching myself from the pack to go and see what was happening. The wolves fell silent behind me for a moment before someone started up a quiet conversation, filling the void.

A small girl with blonde hair was bent over double, looking at something on the ground and beside her was a man who looked only just older than me with dark brown hair that came down to his chin. The man flicked his head in my direction, raising an eyebrow at me, before straightening up and facing me. I ignored him, however, because what the two people had been crouching over was Cameron's body. My feet dragged me quickly towards him and I soon found myself on my knees at his side.

Cameron was unconscious and his hair fell across his face, covering the whole left side. His head was lolled slightly to one side and I could see his neck, the spot where I'd bitten him…. My teeth marks were surrounded in dark, purplish bruises and a small river of blood ran from the punctures down to his shoulder, where it eventually dried up. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to sweep his hair off his forehead and trace his wound with my fingertips.

It didn't matter that he'd helped me escape. He'd done it because he felt guilty that he'd done what he had in the first place. He didn't care. He was still the enemy. He still lied. He still hurt me. I clenched my fist and got back up to my feet.

"He passed out the second he got here. Blood loss, I'd say," the man I didn't recognize said from beside me. I whipped my head around to face him, trying not to let guilt or any other emotion show on my face.

"Who are you?" I asked as I scrutinized his face closely. There was something about him that was just so familiar…

"Zachariah Bradshaw, but you can call me Zach," he said. It still didn't quite click what I recognized about his face, but his name I _did _remember.

"That would make you the coven leader of the half bloods. The blood drinkers," I stated, narrowing my eyes in concern. I wasn't necessarily afraid, with Jacob and the wolves nearby, but something about Zach's demeanour unnerved me. He seemed to notice my reaction and chuckled lightly.

"I'm not exactly fond of being compared to a full vampire, if you don't mind. No offence, Carolina," he said, his eyes flitting towards the small person still kneeling by Cameron.

_Wait_.

So Carolina was real?

I hadn't really thought too much about her over the past week but some part of me had subconsciously decided that she had just been another part of Cameron's lie. Well, I guess in one way he'd lied. He'd told me she was human, but looking at her now, I could clearly see the red in her eyes and the unnatural paleness of her skin. I inwardly gasped, amazed by how much she looked like the picture I had once seen of Royce King, but held back anything I might have said. Now wasn't the time to speculate about her ancestry.

She glanced up at Zach, as though she hadn't understood what he'd said, and then diverted her attention back to Cameron.

"Sorry, but can I ask why you're here?" I addressed Zach, my eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I've been asking myself the same question all day," he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes before glancing behind me where Jacob had reappeared. "Okay, now we just have to wait until morning. Cameron needs rest, but he'll be fine by tomorrow. I say we all get some sleep," Zach continued, ignoring my question and addressing Jacob.

"Alright," Jacob said in an agreeable tone. "Hey, everyone! Get some shuteye, big day tomorrow. Seth, you and I are on first watch," Jacob announced as he walked back over to the pack.

"Wait, tomorrow? What's going on tomorrow?" I asked, my eyes turning to Zach in confusion.

"Tomorrow…. Just some planning and the like. We're trying to figure out how to get your family out of there. We all need to rest so we can think straight," Zach replied. I felt my eyes grow wide in surprise and relief. Every second I'd been trapped in that Volturi prison I had dreamt about having some sort of uprising to save everyone and now it was really happening!

"That's… wow, you can't imagine how great that is to hear," I replied, feeling a great weight lift off my shoulders. It wasn't until that moment that I realised just how guilty and responsible I'd been feeling about my family's predicament. But now… everything was going to work out. It had to.

Something was off, I could tell. It couldn't be this simple. But my tired body and relief at being away from that horrible place were enough for me to decide to push aside my concerns until morning.

After goodnights were exchanged, I followed Jacob over to a pile of checked blankets that were crumpled at the base of a tree.

"You can sleep here. I'm on first watch but I'll come join you as soon as my shift is over," he promised. I nodded and collapsed ungracefully onto the pile of blankets, finding more comfort in them than I had in the downy blankets, endless pillows and impossible thread counts of my bed back in Volterra. I balled up one end of the blanket and laid my head down on it, letting the musky smell of Jacob and the forest floor I was lying on fill me with comfort and relief.

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep for a moment but then sighed, cracking one eye open to survey what everyone else was doing. I'd been on my own for too long. I needed to reassure myself I wasn't dreaming, that I really was surrounded by some of the people I loved, before I could even think about sleeping.

I watched Jacob across the clearing as he disappeared behind a large rock. I realised from the air that shimmered just slightly that he had phased and, sure enough, a moment later, an enormous wolf emerged on the other side of the rock. Jacob turned his face back to me and I giggled to myself when he winked. I loved seeing him in his wolf form, his russet fur and eyes that held only kindness making him seem like more of a puppy than a monster. Then again… seeing him fight, I knew that he was far more dangerous than he liked me knowing about.

I watched as him and Seth- who had also transformed into a smaller, light colored wolf- disappeared into the trees, no doubt marking out a perimeter that they would patrol.

I let my gaze move from them over to the cluster of blankets and bodies that was the other members of the pack. I smiled, noticing how, even though they were all full grown adults now, they still slept practically on top of each other, arms and legs splayed out at awkward angles and complaints still being whisper-yelled across the small space. It wouldn't occur to them to spread out. The pack mindset carried so much further than their wolf bodies.

I spotted Zach sitting off to one side, his back leaning against a tree and his head tilted back. I sensed that he wasn't really asleep, though. He didn't strike me as the type that would let his guard down that easily. I looked around for Carolina and spotted her sitting up high in the tree branches, her tiny legs dangling off one side. I frowned, once again confused by her immortality, but then inwardly shrugged.

Another lie.

It didn't matter.

Speaking of liars… I felt my gaze drawn to Cameron's body, still slumped in the same spot as before. He was turned to face me and I stared unabashedly at his face, noticing how different he looked. Dark circles ringed his closed eyes and he seemed paler than he had before… Even though I couldn't see it from this angle, the scent of the blood from his wound seemed to carry on a breeze that was directly aimed toward me. The sweet aroma didn't make me thirsty now, though. Now all I could feel was guilt.

I sighed, turning around to face the tree and clenching my eyes tightly shut.

He'd felt guilty, too. It was why he'd rescued me. But did mutual guilt amount to forgiveness…?

No way in Hell.

**Cameron POV**

The sound of hushed voices was the first thing that I was aware of when I woke. I blinked but made no move to sit up, strangely curious.

"She said she loved him. She'd never say that about me… Fuck," Jacob muttered.

"Yeah, well, romance never did come easy to you," a female voice replied.

"You really know how to make a guy feel better," Jacob replied sarcastically.

"Hey, you don't keep me around to placate you. You keep me around because I'll tell you how it is."

"Leah, I keep you around because you won't leave," Jacob muttered under his breath. I heard the sound of a fist making impact and Jacob swore.

"Come on, let's get everyone up. It's time," the one named Leah said in an annoyed voice. I heard footsteps approach me and decided that was an appropriate time to 'wake up'. I sat up and yawned loudly to make my presence known and I saw both their eyes cut towards me immediately, obviously wondering how much I'd heard.

"Morning?" I said dubiously, unsure whether or not my grace period had expired with Jacob.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered in reply.

Okay, maybe the grace period was over.

Leah nodded in my direction, her face impassive, before they both began walking off in the opposite direction to go and wake up the rest of his pack. I sighed and stretched my arms above my head, twisting my head in both directions to wake myself up. A sharp pain stopped me and I was unable to avoid the pained noise that escaped me. The side of my throat was on fire.

I gingerly pressed a finger against the spot where Renesmee had bitten me the day before, wincing as the tender skin flared in pain under my touch. I wasn't sure why my wound wasn't healing, it should have been nothing more than a faint scar by now… I wearily shook my head to myself, wincing as that caused another stab of pain to target my neck.

"Sore?" Zach's voice came from above me. I glanced up at him and nodded before getting to my feet myself. It was still dark, 3am. This was the time we'd agreed on last night in the minute or so that I'd been able to remain conscious once I'd arrived back at camp with Renesmee. All I remembered was Zach whispering, "3am we make our move, I'll wake you. We're leaving the girl and Carolina here, but we'll signal for Carolina when we need her." I briefly remember trying once again to have Carolina left out of it but I was pretty sure I'd passed out about halfway through my complaint.

"No, I feel fine," I lied.

"Great, because we're going to need you at full strength today," Zach replied seriously. I nodded and glanced around the camp, catching site of Carolina up in the tree branches. She was looking up at the stars but glanced down at me and waved. I waved back, grudgingly accepting the fact that maybe we did need her help. The fact that she was sitting in a tree, twenty feet off the ground, was kind of a reminder that she wasn't a human child anymore.

The wolves were all awake now, stretching and talking in hushed voices. One of them, I think he was named Paul, made a sharp remark about personal space whilst asleep and Jacob smacked the back of his head and gazed pointedly over to the other side of the camp.

Renesmee.

We weren't supposed to wake her up because there was no way in Hell she would agree to being left behind. I felt my feet take me towards her, somehow oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching and that it was completely inappropriate for me to be acting that way. I knelt down beside her, pulling up one part of her blanket that had gotten tangled up around her stomach.

"Don't touch her. She's a light sleeper," Jacob hissed from behind me. I sighed. She was _not _a light sleeper, I knew that for a fact, but something told me that if I wanted to keep all of my limbs, I'd better not mention that I had been privy to her sleeping habits over the past month. She still managed to look peaceful, even with my blood smeared across her chin.

My blood.

How it'd felt to feel her taking it from me, drinking from me… I couldn't lie, it had been extremely hot. I'd felt so wrong, dirty even, for enjoying it, but the feel of her hands on me after so long, after so much guilt and the obvious hate she had for me… It had been incredible. Of course, her drinking my blood just made me think about…

Her blood.

That night… I shut my eyes and for just a moment, I allowed myself to remember what she'd tasted like, felt like, that night. Delicious, soft, smooth skin, silky hair and a body that was without a doubt the most beautiful thing I had ever had the pleasure to view.

_Snap out of it!_

I shook my head and straightened back up, casting one last glance down at her before turning to face Jacob. He merely narrowed his eyes and turned away.

"Alright, you all know the plan, except you, Cameron, but I'll fill you in on the way. Wolves… go do your thing and we'll meet at the rendezvous point in two hours. Remember, stay down, keep quiet and don't do anything _stupid_," Zach explained as he briefed us a few minutes later. There were nods all around and the wolves all took off in one direction to phase.

"Carolina," I called softly, addressing her amongst her perch in the trees, "-come here a second," I requested. She leapt down, landing lightly on the balls of her feet. I still cringed at the drop distance, unable to shake my instinct to protect her even though I knew she was virtually indestructible now. Virtually. And that was why I needed to talk to her.

"Zach told me about the signal, but I just wanted to make sure… Are you _sure _you want to do this? No one will get mad, I promise-"

"Yup. I wanna' help. You _and _Mommy," she said, smiling at me. I cocked my head, confused at the use of her term 'Mommy,' but then realised she was talking about Renesmee. I couldn't help it, I smiled back, lifting her into my arms and holding her tightly, just in case… No. Nothing was going to happen. We were going to be fine.

"I'm proud of you, Lina. I never thought… well, I never thought a day like this would come so soon, when I'd have to say goodbye to you but… well, now that it's here…" I told her, angry at myself for getting soft at a time like this. "Look, I just wanted to say… I love you, no matter what happens," I swore, placing her back down on the ground.

"Love you too," she laughed, swaying slightly on the spot. But then her smile disappeared, replaced by a look of adult concern. "Be careful. Pretty please don't get hurt," she said, voicing it like a request that I simply had to agree to for it to become truth. I nodded solemnly. I had every intention of not getting hurt. I just wished it was as simple as she made it sound.

"We'll see you in a few hours," Zach said, subtly telling me to get a move on.

"One sec," I said.

I moved swiftly back to Renesmee's sleeping form and, before I could think about it too much, knelt down and kissed her lightly on her soft lips. I kept it brief, pulling away after only a second, not wanting to wake her. I saw her eyelids twitch just slightly before she settled back into her deep sleep.

"I love you. If I don't come back… just… I love you," I whispered quietly, not caring that she couldn't even hear me.

I straightened up and went back to Zach, ignoring how he was studying me with his unreadable eyes.

"Let's go," I suggested flatly, not even bothering to animate my voice with life that I didn't feel like I had anymore.

"Are you oka-"

"I'm fine. I just hope for everyone's sake that this plan of yours works."

"Don't worry. It will."

**Renesmee POV**

I awoke a few hours later, my mind sluggish as I started to come to. I'd been having a dream that was as horrible as it was wonderful. I'd dreamt that Cameron had kissed me. Since I'd found out the truth about him, I'd managed to avoid torturing myself with thoughts like that, but when I was asleep, my defences came down. And that was when he got to me.

I sighed in a mixture of annoyance and longing and looked around me. It was early morning, that much I could tell. Birds tweeted noisily in the canopies above me and I groaned slightly, wishing I had a pillow I could cover my face with. If I'd been at home, it wouldn't have been the sounds of nature waking me, no, it would've been Alice, pestering me about going shopping or something inane like that.

Alice.

Family.

Saving my family.

I sat up abruptly, glancing around myself quickly to take in my surroundings in the morning light.

What I saw made my breath catch in horror.

Gone.

They were all gone.

I was on my feet before I'd taken a proper breath, turning in every direction to see if I could spot anyone. My eyes automatically went to the last place I'd seen Cameron, my heart unintentionally falling as I realised he had disappeared. The blankets where the pack had lain during the night were exactly as they'd left them, rumpled and disorderly. Zach was gone, too, and after listening intently for Jacob's heartbeat and finding nothing, I realised I was alone.

"No!" I cried angrily, slamming my fist into the tree I'd slept beneath. It shuddered and made a loud creaking sound but didn't move. I exhaled heavily, trying to avoid panicking, when suddenly the hem of my T-shirt was tugged on by a tiny hand. I shrieked loudly, my voice piercing the still morning air like a knife, before glancing down and realising that the hand belonged to Carolina.

"Oh, thank God, it's you. Where are they?" I asked, kneeling down so I was at eye height with her.

"Gone. They're gone," she replied sweetly, her red eyes seeming so out of place on her otherwise beatific face that sparkled in the sunlight.

"But where? Where did they go, Carolina?" I asked, staring intently at her, willing her to understand. I didn't exactly know how much she understood of what I was saying, whether she had adult intelligence or whether she had been frozen in her childish mindset.

"I'm not 'sposed to tell you," she replied in an obviously rehearsed voice, frowning and playing with the end of one of her blonde curls.

"What? Why not? Who said that? Did someone take them away?" I demanded more forcefully than I'd meant to. I saw Carolina flinch slightly and step away back a little. I sighed, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down. "I'm sorry… I'm Renesmee, it's nice to finally meet you properly," I said, extending my hand with a hopeful smile on my face. Maybe she would be more helpful if I was nicer…

"I'm Carolina. Can I call you Pretty? I already do but I wanna' know if it's okay," she said. I smiled despite the situation, nodding at her.

"You can call me whatever you like," I replied.

"Pretty," Carolina repeated, nodding as she seemed to finalise it in her head.

"So, Carolina… Can you tell me what happened?" I asked more gently now.

"Ummm… I'm not 'sposed ta'…. Cameron said not to," she replied uneasily, biting her lip. It was clear from her voice how much she looked up to him and I tried to fight back the part of me that softened inside. I couldn't let this cute little kid worm forgiveness out of me. I shook my head, annoyed at myself for getting off topic.

"I know you don't want to get into trouble, but I _need _you to tell me. My friends could be in danger."

"They aren't. The tall one… really, really, really, really, really tall one, he said not to worry and he wants you to stay here," Carolina said. I felt a little relieved by this, knowing that they hadn't all been snatched up and that they had consciously decided to go somewhere. Wait, not just somewhere….

"But… that means they've gone to Volterra," I replied, getting to my feet slowly and staring, wide eyed, in the direction of the ancient city.

"I don't want Cammy to fight… What if he gets hurt? What if he dies?" Carolina whispered, seemingly to herself. I drew in a deep breath, refusing to let her words spin realities in my head, realities where he didn't exist. It didn't matter if he didn't want me, I didn't want him dead, and the thought that he could be lost was too much.

"Sorry, Carolina, I know you want to do a good job, but I can't stay here. I have to go help fight," I said, smiling ruefully at her and trying to hold my anxiety in check. To my surprise, her cherubic face broke into a bright grin and she stepped towards me, extending her glittering hand for me to shake. I bent down slightly and our hands met along with our eyes, an understanding passing between us.

Zach, Jacob and Cameron had told her to stay here and to keep me here, too.

It wasn't safe in Volterra.

Yeah, like _that _was going to stop me.

* * * x * * *

"Can you hear anyone up ahead?" I whispered to Carolina as we crept towards the wall.

"Just humans. No one like me," she replied, her tiny head cocked to the side as she listened. I nodded and we both started sprinting towards the small gap in the wall that we'd spotted. Once we were both inside the city walls, the gravity of what we were doing finally hit me. Just the sight of the familiar sandstone was enough to make my heart start pounding loudly in the early morning quiet.

"What's wrong, Pretty?" Carolina asked, looking up at me in concern as she tried to conceal herself in my shadow. I'd spoken to her on the way about not being seen because of her skin and she seemed like she understood.

"I'm fine… It's just hard being back here. But I'm fine. Let's go, we need to help," I said, before my words caught up with me. "Wait… Carolina-"

"Lina. Call me Lina," she interrupted.

"Right, Lina…" I began, unsure how to proceed with what I was about to say. It was one thing to convince a sweet kid to disobey orders so that I could try and save my family, but to drag her into it just seemed wrong.

"When I say help, I mean help rescue my family. But you don't even know them, I can't ask you to…" I took a deep breath, conscious of what I was saying to her, not wanting to frighten her. "I want you to stay out here. He'd… C-Ca… He'd die if anything happened to you," I said in a shaking voice. "He loves you," I whispered, wincing as my own words taunted me. There was a time not long ago that I would have believed he loved me, too.

"No, don't make me stay here. I wanna' help!" she complained in a voice that was far too loud for the circumstances.

"Shhh, we need to keep qui-"

"Too late," a voice spoke up from the shadows.

"Alec?" I whispered, my heart pounding loudly as I whipped around to scan the shadows.

"Yes. What are you doing back here?" he asked, stepping forward into the light, diamonds sparkling underneath his skin. He looked down and seemed to notice and stepped back, beckoning me towards him. I bit my lip. He'd been nice to me, protected me from Jane and told me his personal story, treating me as though he actually cared. I thought we were friends. But… could I risk everything on a feeling?

A tightening in my chest gave me my answer and I glanced quickly at Carolina.

"Run!" I ordered frantically, taking the lead and heading deeper into the city, careful to stay in the light but signalling to Carolina to remain in the shadows. We managed to remain evenly paced, though occasionally it was tricky to get her from one street to the next. It was lucky that it was still early morning and there weren't many humans around.

I had absolutely no idea where I was going, but I knew that no matter where we ended up, there would be somebody waiting for us. I bit back my fear and continued to lead Carolina, eventually coming across a courtyard that contained a large fountain. There were little alleyways fringing every side of the courtyard and I led Carolina quickly across an open space and into the first alley we came across.

_There_.

The door I recognised from when I'd first been brought to Volterra. We made our way there and I kicked the door down, pushing it roughly out of my way and beckoning Carolina inside. I started off down the tunnel, but only made it a few steps before a voice further ahead stopped me. I motioned frantically for Carolina to stop and be quiet, but she seemed to recognize the voice because she kept walking towards it.

"Mommy!" I heard Carolina cry as she picked up her pace.

"Carolina?" a voice called back, sounding shocked. Shocked and familiar.

"Roaslie?" I called out as I started running, trying desperately to see where I was going in the pitch darkness but more focused on the voice I'd just heard.

"Oh God, Nessie, no! Don't come any closer," Rosalie warned, her voice panicked.

Just like Alec had said…

_Too late. _

A figure appeared out of nowhere, catching hold of my arms and using them to propel me into the wall. I crashed into the brick, hard, wincing a little but trying to regain my footing quickly. I was much stronger than I had been all week, but that was still a damn site weaker than whoever I was up against, because my legs were out from under me before I could blink. My head hit the cement floor and I cried out in pain, still trying madly to get back to my feet.

A second later I was being yanked to my feet and my hands were being pulled tightly behind me in restraint. I tried to twist around to see who my attacker was but my head was roughly forced back to face the other direction. Whoever they were started marching me down the corridor, in perfect silence.

I sighed angrily, annoyed with myself for not following Rosalie's direction. But that didn't answer any questions I had about why she was here. How come Carolina had called her 'Mommy'? Where were they now?

But I decided briefly that none of those questions were quite as important as one.

"Where are you taking me?" I growled angrily, trying not to let my panic show.

"Be quiet. We're going to see Aro," he said in a sharp tone.

I gasped loudly, my head spinning and my lower lip trembling as I tried to make sense of why on Earth _they _were trying to hurt me.

In a shaky voice I whispered the only word that came into my head.

"…. Dad?"

**Bet you didn't see **_**that **_**coming. **

**Once again, thank you all for bearing with me :) **

**GOOD NEWS EVERYONE: I have found a Cameron. BAD NEWS: he works at a café near the place I work at. He is beautiful and exactly how I pictured Cameron in my head. He is from Russia and his name is Steven… **

**Make you a deal… you guys get this story to 200 reviews for me by next chapter, and I will pluck up the courage to ask him if I can have his photo.**

**Much love to you all, and in case I don't update before then, MERRY CHRISTMAS/HAPPY HOLIDAYS :D **


	23. Chapter 23

Twilight wishes it belonged to me, but it doesn't. 

Merry Christmas! Wrote most of this one on Christmas day because before that I was slacking off and doing more reading than writing… 

There are fight scenes in this chapter. I think I may have gotten a bit graphic/gory with some of my descriptions. For this, I apologize.

For the fight scene, I recommend listening to **The Flood **by **Escape The Fate**…. Just sayin' :P

-Chapter 23-

**Renesmee POV**

Complete silence followed my question and I drew in a shuddering breath as my stomach dropped.

My father, Edward Cullen, the man who loved me and raised me, did everything he could to protect me…. That same man had just slammed my body into a stone wall and captured me. And he was ignoring my question and marching me forwards, taking me to Aro. Only one thing was going through my head at that moment.

"Why?" I breathed, my voice coming out raspy with emotion.

"Just please, do what you're told," my dad said, his voice blank and expressionless. For a moment, I wondered if he even realized it was me he had hurt. No, he must have known it was me, he would recognize my scent anywhere. I sighed, scared and beyond confused. Was this Aro's doing? Had he somehow figured out a way to control my father? Brainwashing?

"Don't be ridiculous. I know very well what I'm doing. If only you could say the same…" Edward muttered under his breath in a frustrated voice, just loud enough that I could catch it. My brow furrowed with confusion once more but I didn't reply. I sensed that, in that moment, the best thing I could do was keep silent. Another minute passed before we turned a sharp corner and stopped walking.

We were in a room, one that I recognized. It was where my family had been kept, but it was empty now, the metal panel viciously ripped from its hinges.

"Oh God, Nessie, I'm so sorry, love. I tried not to push you too hard into the wall but you're so much lighter than I remember… I hope I didn't hurt you too badly. Let me look at you," my Dad's words spilled out of his mouth rapidly as he spun to look at me, his coal black eyes analysing every inch of me. My mouth dropped open in surprise for a moment, his change in demeanour had been so sudden, before I smiled.

"What just happened?" I asked, dazed, but also pleased that everything made sense again. My father would never hurt me like that. Not on purpose. Not if he had another choice.

"There were guards back there. Real guards." His words caught up with me and, for the first time, I glanced down at what he was wearing. He was draped in a long black cloak, identical to the one that Alec wore.

"You're part of the guard?" I exclaimed in disbelief, my hand flying to my throat in surprise and horror.

"Yes, well, technically. That's not important, what's important is- what are you doing here? You're supposed to be waiting outside, where it's safe!" he ranted, his tone turning urgent.

"I couldn't stay out there. You can't just expect me to sit by while everyone I care about is in here, risking their lives! I want to help."

"You're your mother's daughter, you really are…" he sighed sarcastically, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb as he exhaled loudly. He appeared to be thinking something over and I took the opportunity to fill the silence with a question that came to me.

"What happened to the others? Where's Mom?" I asked, fearful that something had happened to them.

"They're fine. Rosalie was on her way to meet the wolves when we ran into you and the child. Don't worry, I managed to distract the guard by capturing you, so hopefully she got out."

"Are you a part of the plan then? With Zach and Ca- the others?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm running late, come on, you'll have to come with me. Whatever happens, stay down, stay safe. If I tell you to run, you will do so, no questions asked. Do I make myself clear?" my father stated, his expression showing me just how serious he was. I swallowed loudly, nodding.

"I love you, sweetheart. Okay… play along," he hissed quietly, his head snapping up in the direction of the corridor as he obviously heard someone approach. "I said _move_," he growled, his tone contrasting strongly against the tender words he'd spoken just moments before.

A painless- though it didn't look so to others, I guessed- jab to my shoulder made me start walking back in the opposite direction than what we had taken earlier.

"You've found the prisoner, Edward?" a voice called from behind us. We both halted as we waited for whoever it was to catch up. A tall vampire with deep red hair approached us, his eyes regarding me with contempt.

"Yes. I'm taking her to Aro," my father answered simply.

"Excellent, I shall go ahead and inform them," the other man replied. My father simply nodded and continued walking.

There was absolute silence as the man sped past us at vampire speed and we continued to make our way down the corridor. A full five minutes passed before we reached a large wooden door. It looked like it led somewhere important and I gulped, feeling my heart rate increase as true fear washed over me. It wasn't just for myself, either; my father's eyes were even darker than when I had seen them almost a week earlier, something I hadn't thought was even possible, but that meant he was even weaker than he had been then.

The doors opened for us as if by magic and Edward pushed me gently inside to face the occupants of the room.

The three brothers sat against the far wall on gilded chairs. Marcus and Caius, who I realised then that I hadn't yet seen during my time there. And then there was Aro, sitting closest to the front. His face lit up as he saw us enter and Caius' mouth twitched into what almost looked like a smile. I gathered that that was about as close to genuine happiness as he'd ever come. Marcus looked the same as the last time I had seen him so many years ago- incredibly bored, as though he wished for nothing more than to be somewhere else.

"Renesmee, how pleased I am that you have returned to us. We did miss you this past day," Aro greeted me in a warm voice, not getting to his feet as we approached him. To my surprise and distaste, my father knelt in a swift bow at the feet of the three rulers. Aro nodded and my dad rose, his face blank once more.

"Are you pleased to see your father again?" Aro asked in a voice that made it clear he wished to rub it in that my father had 'turned' on me.

"I don't have to answer to you." I figured I was meant to be playing the part of the escaped prisoner, so I delivered my words with anger and bitter resentment that I didn't have to work hard to muster up.

Just then, another door opened and five hooded figures walked in, each going to stand before Aro and his brothers. I could make out Jane and Alec easily as they both stood shorter than everyone else. Demetri and Felix both pulled back their hoods and bowed at Caius' feet. The final figure surprised me and I bit back a gasp as Cameron drew back his hood and knelt in the center.

What was he doing here?

Was this part of the plan?

He didn't turn to look at me, instead, he straightened up from his kneeling position and faced Aro, as if listening for instructions.

"Cameron, welcome. I'm so pleased you could make it," Aro purred, practically radiating glee for some reason.

"Just in time for the return of our little escapee, Renesmee. How convenient," Caius noted, his eyes glinting with malice. Convenient? What was that supposed to mean?

"Her connection to him is strong," Marcus' deep voice spoke up, his head barely inclined toward Aro as he spoke. His tone and facial expression betrayed just how little this news meant to him and his face returned to its impassive mask after his few short words. I knew he was speaking of Cameron and I, and fought the urge to growl at him. Of course my damn connection to him was strong. He'd manipulated me into feeling that way. Bastard.

"All the better for what we have in store," Caius said, breaking through my thoughts. I didn't like the sound of that…

"No! That wasn't part of the deal," my father spoke up suddenly, his eyes widening with anger as he glared at Aro, obviously in response to something he had heard in Aro's thoughts.

"I'm afraid we have no choice. There are rules to be followed, Edward, something you must learn the hard way, it seems. There is no room for exceptions in my guard," Aro explained calmly.

"No. There has to be another way. I joined you so that she would be spared!"

"I'm afraid she made her choice when she escaped. Though how she managed to make it past her guards remains to be seen, I assure I will find out. I doubt treachery is beyond your means, Edward," Aro pointed out snidely, his upper lip curling into a sneer.

The two vampires regarded each other levelly, each reading the other, waiting for the other to break.

"Nessie, get out of here!" my father cried suddenly, shoving me sideways, too hard, so that I crashed to the ground. He growled and crouched above me in a protective stance, apparently abandoning his charade of obedience.

A split second later, his body tensed, going rigid. I looked up with horror to see Jane turned to face us, her lips twisted into a cruel smile as she used her gift against my father.

"No! Stop it! Don't hurt him, stop it, stop it! Daddy!" I screamed, trying to claw my way towards him. Two hands seized me by the shoulders and pulled me to my feet before binding my arms behind me in restraint. I realised that the hands belonged to Demetri and kicked my legs madly, flailing in all directions as I tried to escape. His hold tightened, one hand coming up to close around my neck.

My movements stilled somewhat as I realised that I wasn't going to be able to escape. Demetri was too strong. My eyes flickered to my father's body and I watched in horror as his body twitched on the ground, his eyes screwed shut in pain. Tears ran down my face as I screamed, my voice going hoarse as I watched my father being tortured before my eyes. Several minutes passed, slowly, before Jane finally let up.

I was sobbing uncontrollably by that time, my body completely limp as I cried for my father.

"Restrain him," Aro's voice ordered. He no longer sounded warm and gracious, now his voice was cold and articulate. I knew that his 'kindness' had been a ruse, but something about this new Aro terrified me more than the other ever had. Felix and Alec went to each take one of Edward's arms, pulling him up and supporting him between them.

"Alec, please! Don't do this, no!" I cried, my eyes desperately seeking his. He met my gaze with a scarily blank stare and I bit down hard on my lip to avoid more tears.

Cameron was standing there, watching the scene unfold with concerned eyes. He didn't look upset, though. He didn't look like he'd just seen an ally tortured right in front of him.

"You traitor! I should have known. We should never have trusted you!" I shouted, glaring daggers at him. It was all bullshit. Jake and the wolves were probably walking into an ambush right now, all because of Cameron. "You bastard!" I swore, struggling again to free myself from Demetri's grip. It was no use, his arms were like bands of steel across my chest; I wasn't going anywhere.

"Calm yourself, child," Aro snapped coolly, glaring at me before directing his gaze to Cameron. "Your initiation is almost complete. Now, you must prove your loyalty," he said, speaking directly to Cameron now.

Cameron turned to look at me fully, his eyes turning cold. He took a few steps towards me, his hand raised as Aro's words met my ears.

"Kill her."

"No!" my father called, struggling to free himself but failing as absolutely as I had against the raw strength of two, freshly fed vampires.

My heart froze as I processed Aro's words.

I was going to die.

I could see it in Cameron's eyes. He was really going to kill me. Murderous anger swirled amongst the bluey grey and I knew that I had just seconds to live.

He approached me slowly, his eyes focused directly on mine. It was like he was trying to tell me something, but I didn't know what. Was he trying to tell me, just one more time before he ended my life, that he never loved me? Was he trying to hurt me just that little bit more before he finally killed me?

"What are you doing?" I whispered, almost to myself, terrified. Demetri's arms had dropped from me now, but I was incapable of movement.

There was dead silence for a moment before a deafening smash from somewhere outside the room reached my ears.

"Improvising," Cameron whispered.

His eyes locked with mine and he stared intensely at me as he waited for me to get it. And then I finally realised what he had been trying to tell me.

Duck.

**Cameron POV**

Recognition flashed in Renesmee's eyes and she dropped to her knees like lightning. I jumped, using the element of surprise that I had to ignite fire at my fingertips and lunge for Demetri's throat. I managed to knock him onto his back and his body burst into flames quickly as I channelled as much heat as I could towards my hands. I knew the fastest way to get him out of the picture would be to decapitate him with fire, so that was what I was going for.

I heard gasps of surprise from behind me as well as walls coming crashing down and I smirked as I realised that the wolves and half bloods had made it in. The sounds of fighting reached my ears and I knew that now everyone was in combat. I sensed Renesmee stand and almost smiled as I heard Zach calling her away to safety.

I refocused on what I was doing just in time as Demetri just managed to get his hand around my bicep. He pushed against me and his raw strength sent me flying off him and several feet backwards. I landed on my back and only just managed to spring out of the way as his foot came crashing down where my had had been a few milliseconds before. I jumped back up to my feet, hands outstretched as I focused on burning Demetri to death.

He reached for one of my wrists and twisted it behind me, nearly ripping it from its socket. I gasped at the pain but quickly recovered, using this new position to burn away more of the flesh at Demetri's neck with my free hand. He hissed with pain and released me, stepping backwards in an attempt to recover. I didn't give him the chance to, instead, launching myself at him again and managing to wrestle him to his back.

Demetri pushed against me, almost succeeding in throwing me off, but he was weakened now. I landed a punch squarely against his throat. I heard a choking sound escape him as I focused the pressure inside me into fire, channelling it directly to where his head met his body. I wrapped my other hand around his neck and twisted, hoping the combination of fire and strength would be enough to kill him.

"No, please," he coughed painfully, red eyes wide and imploring. I felt the tiniest sliver of regret, but then I remembered the way he had restrained Renesmee, hurting her. He'd led the Volturi to countless minds, been a key part in the deaths of hundreds of innocent people… I shook my head just once as I felt my resolve strengthen, tightening my hands around his throat.

A few seconds passed as his pain-filled screams filled my ears, but then he was silent, eyes glassing and unseeing as the charred remains of his vampiric flesh now separated his body into two at the neck.

I tried not to flinch as stood and kicked his head away from his torso. There was no way I wanted someone putting him back together. That fucker was staying dead.

I turned to face the next enemy and charged at an unknown, cloaked vampire. I fought with him for less time than I had with Demetri, realising that this one had obviously not been trained in combat like Demetri had. I killed that vampire the same way I had killed Demetri and I panted as I felt my gift begin to take its toll on me. I ignored how tired my body now felt and whirled to face a terrible scene.

It was like a horror movie. Corpses and body parts lay strewn across the ground and allies and enemies fought on top of the bodies. I could see four wolves in the room, each of them engaged in a fight with a vampire. The one I recognized as Jacob was locked in intense combat with Caius. The old vampire was quick on his feet, ducking and dodging Jacob's attacks with seeming ease. I was about to approach in an attempt to help when one of Renesmee's family beat me to it. The tall, blonde male seized one of Caius' arms and pulled, the sickening sound of vampire flesh ripping as the limb came away.

They were managing just fine.

I scanned the fight, looking for other places where I could help. Our two sides seemed almost evenly matched, although I knew the Volturi in the outer walls were yet to arrive on the scene. I tried not to think about what would happen when they did. My eyes sought out Jane, standing against the far wall, her malicious glare directed at one of my former, half blooded brothers.

I leapt towards her and watched as she smirked at me, her eyes glazing over slightly as she tapped into her own power. I fell to the floor, my body seizing with pain, but then it stopped. Every sound, smell and sight disappeared. I tried to get to my feet, feeling completely disoriented, but I couldn't feel my body. Then, I quickly came back to myself, the sounds of the fight reaching my ears again.

I looked up to where Jane had been standing and saw her brother, Alec, facing her. He was glaring at her and I could see clearly how her red eyes were burning with intense fury to match.

"Jane, that's enough," he spoke in an even voice.

"No, we have to finish him! Aro needs us!" she cried, her voice stricken with barely contained rage.

"No, Jane. These people mean us no harm. They only want to escape. We have no fight with them," Alec replied, his tone calm but authoritative.

"You fool! It's that half-breed girl, isn't it! She's the reason you're doing this. Made a friend, and suddenly you think it's okay to betray our masters? _Aro's _the reason we're alive right now, in case you forgot," Jane replied angrily, her eyes flashing to mine when she noticed I was watching. She growled and turned to face me, sinking into a low crouch as she prepared to attack me again.

"Yes, Aro saved us. But now maybe it's our turn to save other innocent people? Aro, Caius and Marcus have lost their way, their power is corrupted! Jane, I'm giving you one last chance. Don't do this, sister. These people are innocent, just like we were. No one listened to us that day, it's time we proved we're better than them."

"You're a fool if you think they would spare you, Alec! Stop talking like that and help me defend our masters!"

"That's it!" Alec cried, his tone hostile for the first time in the conversation. He stepped toward his sister, grabbing her by the shoulder and tossing her to the side.

What he did next surprised me. He stepped in front of me, placing his body between mine and his sister's.

"Traitor! Aro will kill you for your treason, you know," Jane said, her voice going quiet and scarily empty.

"I'd like to see him try. I'm tired of being his puppet. I won't punish people for existing anymore. I'm leaving Jane. If you won't come with me and that makes me your enemy, then so be it," Alec said.

Jane let loose a feral growl and launched herself at her brother. He caught her in his arms and used his superior height to toss her to the ground. Another cloaked vampire blurred into my vision and I raced forward to help, but then I recognized her. It was Renesmee's mother, Bella. She helped to pin down Jane, her eyes meeting Alec's.

"End her," Alec hissed, his eyes reaching mine.

I walked forward quickly and stretched my hand out. Flames erupted all over Jane's body and her high pitched screams were loud, carrying across the battle. I sensed everyone look up, both sides abandoning their fights as they watched. My hand came down on Jane's neck and three seconds later, the skin gave way. Her head landed on the floor with a thud, her eyes still open, frozen in anger and pain.

I took a deep breath, feeling a wave of dizziness overcome me for a moment. Bella looked at me, her eyes dark and emotionless. She seemed almost to be surveying me. She finally nodded at me, before turning to find another fight.

I then looked at Alec, his gaze was hard and penetrating. Finally, after a long, intense moment, he extended his hand to mine. I took it and we shook hands, a mutual respect passing between us. It must have been incredibly difficult for him to watch that, to help, no less, but he had done it. He had helped me kill his vile sister. Jane was finally dead.

As if on cue, I heard a loud cry pierce the air from across the room. We both turned to see Aro come running towards us, his face contorted with anger. In a split second he had crossed the room and was standing before us, ready to attack. Alec turned to face his former master, his eyes cold, and they exchanged brief words in Italian. Aro's face grew steadily angrier as he threw back responses, but Alec's tone remained calm and certain. After almost a full minute of me standing there, unsure whether or not to attack, Alec turned to face me.

"I have given Aro a grace. I will not kill him. This fight is yours," he told me, touching his hand to my shoulder before sprinting away. I turned to face Aro, his eyes red and glaring.

"You're a fool if you think you can beat me, boy," he growled. My eyes flitted to the floor nearby where his personal guard, Renata, lay in pieces. Judging from the state of her limbs, I'd say it was a wolf that had finished her. Aro saw where I glanced and laughed bitterly.

"Even without my guard, you don't stand a chance," he retorted angrily, crouching. I bared my teeth and we both launched at each other at the same time. We were by no means evenly matched. Aro was a lot faster and stronger than I was, but I could tell that his centuries of sitting on the sidelines and allowing others to fight for him had taken their toll. He was visibly shocked when I was able to knock him to his feet.

I tried to get a grip on him, wanting to make sure that I was able to kill him with fire before he could escape my grasp, but he was incredibly fast, ducking and weaving around my attempts to restrain him. I needed him held still if I wanted even a slight chance of burning him. I made a bold move, ducking quickly to the ground and attempting to feign to the left. He fell for it, allowing me to get a grip on his leg. Unfortunately, that left my head open to attack, a chance that Aro didn't pass up. Back and forth, we fought, each of us getting one up on the other, only to lose our advantage and be back to the start again. The sounds of the fight were dead to me, I couldn't focus on anything else.

That was, until I heard a single, ear-splitting shriek.

Carolina.

**Renesmee POV**

I followed Zach's voice, my brain feeling like it wasn't really connected to the rest of me. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and I followed Zach on auto-pilot.

"Renesmee?" he snapped. I blinked slowly a few times, only realising then that he had been trying to get my attention for a while already. "You need to get out. Now. We underestimated ourselves, I think we may almost have the upper hand here, but that's not to say this isn't still dangerous. Go, get out, now!" he ordered, staring at me.

"But I can't. My family-"

"Yeah, well you're _his _family. If I let you get killed, he's never going to forgive me. Go," Zach said, this time in a softer tone.

"His… his family?" I asked, not sure what he could be talking about.

"We don't have time for this now, you need to leave. Just trust me when I say that everything isn't what it seems." Zach shoved me in the direction of a nearby door before sprinting back in the direction of the battle.

I could hear it now. Screams and crashes, the deafening sounds of vampires colliding and tackling each other. My family were in there. The wolves were in there. Judging by Zach's reaction, I'd say that his coven of half-bloods were in there, too.

I turned to face the door, took a deep breath, and walked out.

Maybe it was time that I trusted their plan. I mean, look where my stupid disobedience had gotten me before- I'd gotten my Dad tortured and almost gotten killed myself.

I didn't want to, every part of me was screaming that I should go and help, do _something_, but for the first time that day, I walked away. I decided to let everyone else handle it. I left through the door, exiting out into the bright sunshine. A stone courtyard, not unlike the one where I had once spoken to Alec, met my eyes and I took cover behind a bench, curling up into a ball.

Minutes passed, slow, torturous minutes, before finally I saw movement. A figure dressed all in black whisked past the door. My breath caught as I heard them freeze and double back to the entrance to the courtyard.

"Alec!" I cried in anger, getting to my feet and advancing on him. He met my gaze evenly, stepping out into the open, the sunlight sparkling off his skin.

"Why didn't you listen to me earlier? Before you met with Aro. Outside. Why?" he asked, his tone mostly calm but borderline pissed off.

"Because you're one of _them_!" I reminded him with a withering glare.

"No, I'm not. I haven't been for some time now. Not since that day I talked with you."

"I… what? What are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered.

"Who do you think conveniently abandoned their post when Cameron came to your room to free you? Who do you think distracted the guards while he re-infiltrated earlier today? Who was it that tried to stop you from walking into an ambush today?" Alec demanded, staring intently at me.

"You did all those things?" I breathed in awe and disbelief.

"Yes! And then you didn't even listen to me! Why? Why couldn't you just trust me, for once?" he asked, his irritation coming to an end as he stared at me with sad, hopeless eyes.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know that you, that we were on the same side… I still thought you were with Aro," I mumbled, staring at the ground in shame. He'd been so nice to me and stuck his neck out for me so many times now and I'd stonewalled him the first chance I got.

"Yeah, well, now you do know."

"I'm sorry. Just… after Ca-" I gulped, determined to say his name properly, "After Cameron, I don't really know how to, you know… trust people."

"I understand. He really hurt you, but I can tell you'll forgive him. A love like yours isn't one that will fade, no matter how much you want it to," Alec replied knowingly. I scoffed to cover the pain I heard at his words.

"Let me get this clear, right away. I hate him. I never want to see him again," I swore as fury burned in my veins.

Alec suddenly turned his head sharply to the left, toward the door, the fight. I saw his face tense up and he dropped his head to stare at the ground before finally looking up at me, his expression both distant and taken aback.

"Well, that's just as well…. Considering he's dead."

**:O**

**Review for more, my pretties. **


	24. Chapter 24

Twilight is owned by Stephenie Meyer. 

So… it's been a while. Senior year is keeping me busy, as well as a general lack of inspiration/constantly changing ideas. Good news- the next chapter is all but done, I've just got to reformat it to fit the ending of this one so it should hopefully be up within the week.

Sorry to everyone who has waited a long time for this one. I hope I did it justice.

-Chapter 24-

**Renesmee POV**

Time is a curious thing.

There are moments in life, unfilled lulls, empty stretches that seem to go forever. Those moments when time can stand still, halted, as though life itself were paused.

And then there are those times in life, precious seconds, where the world can move in fast- forward, the sand falling through your personal hourglass with suck reckless speed that you feel the need to grab onto something just to hold yourself down. Then, sometimes, you just want to get swept away.

That was what it felt like when Alec's words reached my ears.

I didn't stick around to reply, I didn't even really process what he'd said properly. Something in me cried out sharply in pain, telling me only one thing.

_Run. _

And so I did.

I sprinted away from Alec, crashing through the corridors and feeling my heart pound wildly as I raced to find him, find Cameron. I needed to see him with my own eyes. Right now.

I could hear the sounds of fighting all around me. Metallic screeches filled the air, the sickening keening sound that told of vampiric flesh being torn apart. Ferocious growls pierced the air, every one familiar, so I knew the wolves had to have made it inside the city okay. My heart beat loudly in my ears, a rhythmic pulse of life that was the only thing that told me this wasn't a nightmare. Everything was a mess, doors and corridors all blended into one, each undiscernible from the next, until finally I thought I recognized part of the corridor.

I reached a door and examined it, trying to tell if it was where I had exited earlier. It looked almost the same, but now one side of the wood was smeared with blood and the other part of the door had a gaping hole in the center. It was almost quiet inside, only the sounds of voices crying out in pain, but I could hear no sounds of fighting.

I pushed the doors roughly aside and leaped into the room. Biting back a gasp, I took in the scene before me, the bodies strewn across the floor- there were so many… But I didn't have time for them. My eyes raked over the room, searching for golden hair, a leg, an arm… I'd recognize any part of him.

I had barely been looking for a few seconds when suddenly a cold hand clawed at my leg, jerking me downwards so I came crashing to the floor. The hand was connected to a body and I kicked madly, trying to see who it was that had grabbed me. My eyes managed to discern a pale face, but it wasn't one I recognized. The dark cloak gave me a good guess at which side they were on, however, and I felt fear splinter through my heart as I tried in vain to escape their frigid grasp. Their hand closed around my ankle and before I realised what was happening, my leg twisted to the left. Pain ripped through me as I heard the bones in my ankle shatter and bit down on my lip hard to stop from crying out in pain. I tasted blood on my tongue and tried to focus on the pain there, but my ankle… it felt like it had been sawn off.

It was in that moment that it truly dawned on me how stupid I'd been, coming here, trying to save Cameron. I was weak. I had less than half the strength of a regular vampire when I was fully healthy, let alone when I'd been starved for days. I could feel tears of pain forming in my eyes and I blinked them back furiously, knowing that they would do no good. The vampire still had his hand around my broken ankle and I pulled hard, trying to free myself. _I have to get to Cameron._

The vampire snarled, as if in reply to my thoughts, and I realised with a start that I had unknowingly used my power and spoken to him in my mind. That idea sickened me for some reason, this stranger being a part of my most intimate feelings.

"Let go," I growled, feeling my mental voice also reach out to him. The vampire only tightened his hold in reply, pulling me closer to him, no doubt to finish me off.

_Let. Me. Go!_ I thought towards him, pulling hard against him. I watched as his red eyes widened into vacant spheres, his hand turning limp against my tender flesh. I finally wrenched myself away from him, scrambling backwards across the floor away from him.

That was weird. It was almost like… like he'd obeyed what I'd told him to. But my mental power had never done that before…

A figure appeared in the corner of my eye and I forgot all about my power, blinking slowly as I looked up to see Carolina standing there, her eyes narrowed in adult-like concern as she stared down at me.

"Pretty! Are you okay?" she asked, her lower lip beginning to tremble.

"I-I'm fine. Forget me, we need to find Cameron! He's in trouble, he-"

"No he's _not_," she said in a stubbornly immature voice. "He's near that door over there, getting ready for the big fire. Look," Carolina continued, pointing behind her to the door opposite the one I'd entered through. My eyes sought out Cameron's body, expecting to see him lying on the ground, unconscious or worse, but instead… He was standing completely upright, one hand bracing himself against the wall as he stared down at a body on the floor.

"He's…. _alive_," I breathed incredulously. But… But Alec said…

"Come on, we need to go now. The fire's starting soon and I'm 'fraid or fire," Carolina whispered conspiratorially, straightening up and turning on her heel without waiting for me to follow. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Cameron, drinking in the site of him with grateful eyes. I thought I'd never see him again.

As though Cameron could feel my eyes on him, he turned suddenly to face me, his eyes meeting mine instantly and surprise crossing his features. I watched as his gaze shifted slightly to look behind me and I read the alarm in his expression just seconds before I felt sharp teeth sink into my shoulder and hands close around my throat.

**Cameron POV**

Aro's hand clamped around Renesmee's throat and I could do nothing but watch in a horrified trance as his sharp teeth found purchase on the back of her shoulder. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, her eyes squeezing shut in pain. That was what broke the spell over me. Cutting off the connection to her eyes.

Before that, she'd been looking at me… Looking at me like she still loved me.

I couldn't lose that. Not again.

I flung myself across the room, knowing even as I crossed the space between us that I was going to be too late. By the time I reached them, Aro had straightened up into a standing position and was supporting Renesmee, one arm locked tightly around her throat and the other digging into her side.

"Let her go," I ordered icily, putting all the hate I could into my expression.

"Don't come any closer or she dies," Aro replied immediately, his red eyes gleaming with hate.

It was odd, the way his eyes could stir fear within the deepest recesses of my mind.

Odd, seeing as I'd just killed him.

_After Carolina's shriek, I'd looked up to spot her, seeing a tall member of the Volturi standing over her. Before I'd had time to move to her defence, a blur of blonde hair whizzed past me and I saw Renesmee's Aunt- Rosalie I think her name was- take a protective stance in front of Carolina. My eyes jarred back to Aro as I determined that Carolina was safe enough. _

_I turned to face him just as his hand came down around my neck in one swift movement. All the air in my lungs left me in one great breath and I gagged, pain ripping through me as I felt the impact push against the bones in my throat. Unable to fight the burning need in my body for a release from the pain, I fell unconscious. _

_I wasn't gone for long, something in me fought through the oblivion, but when I next opened my eyes, Aro was standing over me, his expression triumphant. I used that element of surprise to push my way up, my hands reaching for his throat. His eyes widened in surprise and horror as I clasped my hands around his throat and tore. There was a sickening snapping sound and I fought back the urge to gag as Aro's bloody head fell from my hands. It landed with a sickening thump on the cold marble floor and I dropped to my knees beside his corpse. _

_Aro was dead._

Or so I'd thought. Looking at him, I could just faintly see a white ridge on the skin of his neck, like a fault line in a piece of marble, where he'd obviously been put back together.

Seeing him again now, his hands tightly clutching Renesmee, as though she were his only lifeline, it made my blood boil in my veins, my pupils dilate in absolute loathing. If he fucking hurt her…

"What do you want?" I snapped, my gaze not leaving Renesmee's pale face as her eyes, frantic and terrified, sought mine.

"Tell them to leave, all of them. Order them away, I know you have the power to. Right now!" he ordered. I raised an eyebrow, but then saw he wasn't talking to me. He was talking to Renesmee.

"I-I, what?" she stammered, blinking rapidly. Aro's long, claw like fingernails dug swiftly into her skin, blood dripping sickeningly from the shallow gash he'd made against her throat. "I don't know what you're talking about!" She cried out in pain as his nails stuck her again, leaving bloody indents in her skin. I tensed, waiting to make my move as her breath hitched in terror.

"Don't even think about it. By the time you've taken another step, she'll be in pieces. I have nothing left to lose," he explained, eyes staring me down. He meant it. He had nothing to lose, but he held my everything in his arms. "Good. Now, order them all to leave my city," Aro crooned quietly in Renesmee's ear. His voice was confident, now, thinking he'd won.

"C-Cameron…. Go," she whispered, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine. I stared back at her in confusion for a split second before I felt a tug within me. My feet moved of their own volition and I exhaled in surprise as I slowly turned to face away from them.

"No, I'm not going anywhere," I promised, trying to turn my head around to face her, even if I couldn't stop myself from walking towards the door.

_Run. Don't look back. Take Carolina and run. Never come back. _Renesmee's voice sounded in my mind and my heart went still. She wanted me to leave her?

_No_, I thought right back at her, wishing that that she could sense my answer, even if I didn't have a power like hers. There was no way I could walk away from her again. I just had to find a way out of this…

While I struggled to think of a way to save her, my pace had quickened, I wasn't able to stop. I finally reached the door and didn't slow as I stepped through it. Carolina was on the other side, staring up at me in confusion.

Carolina- that was it!

"Give me your hand," I mouthed to her. She quirked a bewildered eyebrow at me but then extended her hand. The second our skin came into contact, Renesmee's hold over me broke. Carolina, Renesmee…. Was that what Aro meant by Nessie having the 'power' to control people now? Was Carolina doing it?

I didn't have time to consider what would happen if my theory was wrong. Even though I was now at least 30 feet from Aro, with Carolina's gift tripling my power, I was easily able to ignite his body. I heard his surprised shriek as well as Renesmee's own cry of pain. It took me a few seconds to remember I could now move as I wished, so I turned, pulling Carolina along with me, and sprinted back into the room. Aro's body was surrounded by fire and his face was distorted in agony.

The only problem was, so was Renesmee's. He hadn't let her go, as I'd been counting on him to do in his surprise. Renesmee was trying to pull away from him but his charred hand now yanked on her forearm, trying to drag her towards his burning body.

"Cease! I'll let her burn, I swear it!" Aro cried in agonized rage.

For a few seconds, everything froze. The red hot tongues of fire licking at his black cloak seemed to still. My eyes locked with Renesmee's and through her tears I saw resolve form. As if we'd organized a signal, I concentrated my gift on the part of his arm where he gripped her as she wrenched herself away from him in one furious motion. I heard Aro's shriek of rage and fought back relief, thinking that just maybe it was over.

I quickly locked eyes with Carolina and she nodded as I dropped her hand and jumped forward, only just managing to get a grip on Renesmee's arm, pulling as hard as I could. She didn't budge and I looked down to see Aro's pale hand still clutching her wrist tightly, just barely hanging on.

"Oh for the love of God," I groaned angrily.

Without thinking, I reached forward and took his wrist between my hands. I twisted both of my hands in opposite directions, hearing a loud snap, the sound of tearing vampire flesh. I looked down in my hand and saw Aro's severed hand resting there.

I fought back the urge to gag and tossed it aside, shoving Renesmee behind me. All the while, I kept my eyes on what remained of Aro. I was so angry and Carolina's gift was impacting me so much that it took very little time until all that remained of him was a pile of charred black robes, smouldering slightly. I watched in a kind of awed disbelief as a clump of white flesh, smoking at the edges, slowly disappeared into nothing. The cloying scent of death and vampire filling the air and the silence was… deafening.

"He's dead," I heard Renesmee whisper from behind me.

"You're alive," I breathed, unable to focus on anything but that.

I turned slowly, part of me completely unwilling to believe it was over. She was on the floor, her hands flung out behind her from where I'd obviously pushed her slightly too hard, making her overbalance.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. We both knew I wasn't talking about how she'd ended up on the floor.

Her eyes met mine, wide and afraid, wet tear marks still staining her face. I saw her lower lip tremble slightly and reached my hand out to her, dropping to my knees in front of her.

"Nessie! You're okay!" I heard Jacob's voice call as he entered the room.

"Renesmee!" I heard her mother call out, darting across the room and sweeping her daughter up in her arms.

"Momma," Nessie whispered, staring down at me for just a second over her mother's shoulder. I was trying to read her eyes, but didn't get very far before she closed them and buried her face in her mother's shoulder.

Her father, Edward, approached them, his face grave but relieved at the same time. He embraced his wife and daughter and I got to my feet, turning away. My eyes roamed across the room, taking in the bodies that lay strewn about the floor, the blood. I could see a few familiar faces, some of my half blooded brothers, their bodies mangled and dead. I shut my eyes and exhaled heavily, clenching my hand into a fist. It was too late for them. The Volturi were all dead, but a price had to be paid.

"Are you okay?" Renesmee's mother asked, stepping forward to stand beside me. I looked down and realized what she was talking about. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and I was swaying unsteadily on the spot. I finally felt the weight of everything that had happened, felt the relief and exhaustion run through me.

"No," I whispered, only the one word escaping me before I fell unconscious.

**Renesmee POV**

It had been several hours since Aro had finally been killed, and we still hadn't left the hall. The main reason was that Carlisle was still trying to figure out what to do now, and then there was Jasper who insisted we maintain a strong perimeter in case we'd missed any. I knew we hadn't. There were too many dead people surrounding me for there to still be more.

Even with Jacob's huge form blocking most of my sight, I could still see the corpses, smell the scent of death in the air. I felt another tear slip from the corner of my eye and wiped at it hastily before Jake saw it. He'd been standing over me, keeping a silent vigil as we waited until we could leave. I just wanted to go home. Being here was bringing up too many painful thoughts. I didn't know any of the people, all of my family had survived, but I could see countless other half vampires, their bodies still and unmoving. They'd fought for us. They'd died for us. I sighed, clenching my eyes shut, as if that would somehow force the images to leave my mind.

"Renesmee," I heard someone say. I looked up to see Zach standing nearby, a river of dried blood on his forehead that seemed to stem from nowhere because his wound had already healed.

"…. Hi," I said, unsure what to say to him. Half of his coven had just been wiped out, essentially because of me. I felt my throat tighten up as I stepped away from Jacob, shooting him a reassuring glance as I walked away from my family to talk to Zach.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered after a moment of silence.

"So am I. It'll take me years to build up another coven," he said, his voice melancholy.

"People _died _and all you can think about is how it's going to affect _you?_" I gasped incredulously.

"Yes, they died. And it would do you well to remember exactly why and for whom they did so," Zach pointed out harshly, his eyes narrowing. I flinched at his cool tone.

"Hey buddy, we appreciate all you've done, but why don't you and what's left of your little group leave. We've all had enough today," I heard Jacob say in a voice that couldn't be argued with.

I met Zach's even stare and watched in surprise as it softened into sympathy.

"It wasn't for you, it was for him. But I agree with your friend here, we should leave now," he agreed. "He's outside right now, and I'll take him with me, but I have a feeling he'll find his way back to you before too long," he added. There was no mistaking who he was talking about.

"I hope he doesn't," I whispered softly, more to myself than anyone else.

**** One Week Later ****

"Nessie, sweetheart, do you mean to tell me that while we were gone…. For a whole month… You did not _once _mop the floor?" Mom breathed incredulously, looking between the wood panelling and me.

I shrugged.

"It didn't look like it needed it," I mumbled, resting my head on my arms again and shutting my eyes. I'd had other things on my mind. I flinched just slightly at the direction my thoughts were taking. It had been a whole week, and it wasn't getting any easier to deal with the pain.

"Oh, sweetheart," I heard Mom say, her voice full of concern as she wrapped her arms around me. It felt like she did that a lot these days.

"I'm okay, Mom, really, I'm fine. I'm gonna' get out of the house for a bit, if that's okay," I mumbled, shrugging out of her embrace.

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know, just out. The beach maybe. I'll be back by dark," I replied vaguely, my tone impressively nonchalant.

"Okay. Maybe avoid the main house, Rose is still…" she trailed off, glancing down at the floor. I nodded.

We'd had to leave Carolina behind in Italy.

Carlisle had said it wouldn't be fair to _him _if we'd taken her away with us without him knowing.

Rosalie had been distraught ever since, not coming out of her and Emmett's room. I sighed a little sadly as I waved over my shoulder at Mom. I could sense her worry emanating towards me, but I ignored it, breaking into a light run as I left through the front door.

The forest spread before me, welcoming me like an old friend into its thickets of leaves and branches. The rich scent of earth and sun surrounded me but nothing touched me the same anymore. I felt empty. I wondered vaguely when, if ever, I would return to normal. It was because I wanted to feel normal again that I was running in the first place.

Did I need to see him again, just once more, to get closure? Would that finally stop my heart from breaking every time I thought about him?

As my feet took me towards the place I thought he might be, I felt my heart start to beat faster in fearful anticipation. Would Cameron be there? Could I talk to him without breaking into pieces?

It felt like all of ten seconds had passed before I was standing on the fringe of the forest, the shadows hiding my face as I gazed at the seaside cottage that had belonged to Cameron's mother. It was as beautiful as I remembered, perched on the very edge of the ocean, bathed in the sunlight that glanced off the water.

With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and started walking towards it. My steps slowed as I reached the door before I finally came to a stop. With trembling fingers I slowly reached out to knock on the wood. Absolute silence followed and I waited with baited breath for a noise, a sign of any sort that he was there.

That's when I heard it.

I could hear him, _his _voice, coming from nearby. It seemed to be originating from behind the house. Silently, I crept around the side of the house, feeling my nerves wound so tightly I suddenly didn't feel like coming here had been such a good idea anymore. I came around the back of the house to find the small hill I had forgotten about since my first and only visit here. There, at the top, stood Cameron.

His tall figure silhouetted against the afternoon sunlight caused my heartbeat to stutter as I took in his familiar frame. It was clear from what I could hear that he was in the middle of talking to someone. His back was to me, but I could still hear his gentle words carrying on the sea breeze.

"-so that's it. It's over. She's never going to talk to me again. I don't even know if it's worth trying to apologize… Renesmee's never going to forgive me, Mom," he muttered, his tone becoming tinged with a vaporous darkness towards the end.

Hearing my name fall from his lips was all it took to unravel my sparing courage. With the tiniest hitch in my breathing, I turned and fled towards the tree line. It took all of three seconds to realise what a mistake that had been. My slightly heavier footfalls must have alerted him to my presence because before I had even reached the shadow of the familiar woods, I could feel him following me.

I wasn't sure if it was sheer stubbornness or a sort of terrified ignorance that made me start running. I knew he was faster than me. I knew.

Cameron's body skidded to a stop in front of me, mere seconds into him following me.

"Nessie? I… what are you doing out here?" he asked, his tone bewildered but almost guarded, as though he sensed I wasn't there with good news for him.

"I don't know," I said, carefully keeping my eyes locked on the damp leaves of the forest floor.

My voice had been stiff with resentment and I was sure Cameron must have been able to sense that, so I was surprised when I felt a light touch on my forearm. I yanked my arm away as if I had been burned, my eyes accidentally looking up to meet his. I felt my face tighten in anger at first, but then my mouth fell slack as my gaze followed the curve of his neck and saw…. bite marks. My bite marks.

They were still there? Impossible. But the evidence was glaringly impossible to dismiss. Although the wound seemed to have closed over slightly, it seemed to be healing at human pace, if not even slower than that. I dropped my gaze again, cursing myself for breaking so soon and looking at him.

"Look at me," he whispered, his tone pleading. I shook my head, face still downcast. I felt him take a few steps towards me and I backed up until I was flat against a tree. It wasn't until I really focused on it that I realised my breathing was out of control, almost to the point of hyperventilation. I wished Cameron would back away and give me space, but instead I looked up to see him still standing there, less than a foot away from me.

As soon as my eyes met his, his arms came up to brace himself, each palm flat against the tree with one on either side of my shoulders. By that point, I gave up on not looking at him. I met his ice blue stare with my own and waited impatiently for him to realise I was not impressed with his posture.

"Let me go or I'll… I'll-"

"Scream?" he supplied helpfully, a trace of amusement flashing across his features.

"What the Hell do you want?" I snapped, inching as far away from him as I could.

"I just want to talk. We don't have to talk now, but I'd…. I'd really appreciate it if you'd hear me out," he said, dropping his arms and backing away from me. He held out his hands in a palms up gesture, trying to show me he meant no harm.

"I don't owe you anything," I reminded him sharply, side stepping out from between him and the tree.

"I know. God, I know," he muttered. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to, but will you come back and talk to me?" he asked, all traces of insincerity gone from his voice.

I bit my lip, trying hard to wade through the confusing swarm of emotions that had taken up arms in my head and were ready to do battle against one another.

It went against my better judgement, all I'd wanted was some Goddamn closure, but because I was a lovesick idiot who obviously got off on torturing myself, I nodded.

"Thank you," he replied, a melancholy smile gracing his lips.

I turned in the direction of home, glancing back once in his direction to see if he was still there. He was still standing where I'd left him, his eyes watching me go with a fearful longing that brought tears to my eyes.

It would take a long time to get over that man, but I knew that I needed to hear him out before I had any hope of moving on. So why was I running?

Because all of that would have to wait until later, until I felt strong enough to face him without losing what was left of myself completely.

**Review or don't review. Who cares anymore?**


	25. Chapter 25

Twilight is owned by Stephenie Meyer. Failure and lies belong to me. 

Sorry for making everyone wait _again_ and being a dirty rotten liar. 

Fuck senior year. That is all.

Important announcement at the bottom, see you there! 

-Chapter 25-

**Cameron POV**

I watched Renesmee walk away and had to fight every instinct in my body that told me to go after her. Seeing her again after an entire week had been like taking the first breath of air after drowning for days, but the look in her eyes had just about broken me. The devastation and betrayal there…

I breathed in deeply, the crisp afternoon air of the forest clearing my head slightly. With a disappointed sigh, I turned and jogged back towards the cottage. _My _cottage. My hand was just reaching out to touch the handle when I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I inhaled subtly, detecting the faintest trace of vampire. Full vampire.

"Nice place," came a familiar voice from behind me.

"Alec," I breathed in unabashed relief, turning to see him approach.

"Cameron," he greeted with the slightest nod of his head. "May I come in?" he asked. I stared at him for a moment in surprise before I nodded. I opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for him to enter before me. He stepped through and I followed, closing the door behind us.

Alec gazed around at my limited furniture, the sparsely decorated room, and I could swear I saw a smile flit across his features.

"So… how are you?" I began, deciding to attempt pleasantries until he seemed prepared to talk about his purpose here.

"I am fine. And yourself?" he replied, smirking fully now.

"Just _great_," I muttered sarcastically.

"Where is your little friend? The child?" he asked, looking around in confusion, having obviously noticed her scent.

"She has gone off in search of her 'Mommy.' We've only been here since yesterday but I could barely contain her here for this long."

"I see."

Silence hung in the air for a short moment.

"Okay, enough of the awkward small talk then. What are you doing here?" I asked with a wry smile.

"It seems I'm a nomad now. The Volturi are all either dead or on the run now. I thought perhaps I would pay a visit to Renesmee and see if she had resolved her issues yet."

"Issues?" I asked, my brow raised and my tone unintentionally harsh. What could Alec possibly know about Renesmee? And _what _issues? As far as I knew, he'd had a change of heart during the battle and decided not to fight against us, I wasn't aware he'd had any interaction with Renesmee beyond that.

And I didn't like it.

"Were you not aware? Some guy broke her hea- Oh wait, that was _you_," Alec said, his eyes narrowing just slightly but his tone remaining light.

"You don't know what the Hell you're talking about," I muttered, crossing my arms and staring at the floor.

"You'd be surprised what I know. We didn't precisely talk about you during her captivity, but I was able to piece things together on my own relatively easily," he explained.

"Oh really? What sort of things?" I asked, trying desperately to keep jealousy from colouring my tone.

"Certain… feelings that I believe she still retains for you. I'm not exactly an expert on the matter, but I do know one thing; she still cares for you. She doesn't want to admit it, but it's there. I could tell," he said, looking at me earnestly. I exhaled, unsure what to read from his words. On one hand, I was slightly cheered by his words, his assurances that perhaps Renesmee didn't hate me. But on the other hand….

"Why would she talk to you?" I demanded, unable to keep the jealous note out of my voice this time.

"Why not?" Alec challenged, his dark eyes glinting with challenge. He blinked and the threat was gone, but the look had put me on edge.

"You don't…. You don't _like _her, do you?" I asked, my eyes dropping to the floor as I considered the possibilities of all that could have happened in my absence in Volterra. The silence roared in my ears as I waited for his answer. I was rewarded with a slight chuckle and my eyes snapped up to meet his.

"What?" I demanded.

"_Like _her? No, I believe you and the shape-shifter have the market cornered on the matter of affections for Renesmee Cullen. I seek only friendship with her. I may be overstepping myself, but during her time in Volterra I feel we developed a sort of camaraderie that I thought warranted a visit to see how she fared," he explained. My shoulders slumped with actual relief and I saw Alec smile briefly.

"So… Camaraderie, hey?" I breathed, my brow furrowing as I wondered about what he could possibly know about Renesmee that I didn't.

"Yes, it means a sen-"

"I know what it means," I sighed impatiently. "But what did it mean between you and her?" Those words tasted like acid coming out of my mouth. The only name I wanted linked to hers, ever, was mine. "What did she tell you?" I continued, trying to shake off the jealousy that threatened to overcome me.

"My, my, aren't we ever the adolescent girl?" Alec mocked half-heartedly, his gaze focused on the window in contemplation. "As I said, she refused to speak of you. She flinched whenever your name came up, actually. But I can tell you one thing before I leave," he promised. I nodded, leaning forward slightly.

"During the fight, when she was outside, we spoke. She gave an almost convincing spiel of her undying hatred for you, of how she never wished to see you again," he said matter-of-factly and my heart dropped, "-however, moments after this declaration, I heard a noise. I heard the unmistakable sound of a body dropping to the floor. Your body. See, I had been paying attention to the fight during our conversation, keeping track of who was fighting whom and so on, and it came to my attention that Aro was about to finish you off."

"And then what?" I pressed when he didn't immediately continue.

"And then, though I knew you weren't, I told her you were dead," Alec stated simply.

I blanched. I hadn't been expecting that.

"I… but why?" I asked as Alec moved towards the door.

"They say that to flip a coin is the best way to solve a problem you are confronted with. Not because it takes the decision out of your hands, but because the moment when the coin is in the air and everything hangs in the balance, your heart tells you what it is you really want," he said.

"So… she flipped a coin?" I asked, confused.

"No," Alec said, looking as though he was suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. "I presented her with a choice by telling her you were dead. She could have either stuck by her words just moments prior and rejoiced in your death, or she could have done what she did."

"What was that?" I breathed, feeling my heart start beating faster.

"She ran to you. Like it wasn't even a conscious decision. Like she was being ripped in half. She chose you."

And with that, Alec nodded once more before leaving the room.

**Renesmee POV**

Why had I gone to see him?

All that I'd gotten was hurt. Well, hurt, and I'd let him get a promise out of me to go back and talk to him. I was regretting it.

Definitely.

There was no tiny part of me that wanted to talk to him, to see him again.

Not even a little bit.

I was apparently a terrible liar. It seemed I was even worse when it came to lying to myself. The problem lay in the fact that Cameron was like a drug to me. I knew he was bad for me, but I just couldn't help myself.

I was now a hundred yards away from home, though the journey back had taken me a long time. I'd slowed to a walk, my thoughts churning so distractingly inside my head that I hadn't thought it a good idea to attempt high speeds. I was just breaking through the trees when I hear a familiar voice call out to me over my shoulder.

"Alec?" I cried, turning around to face him. He stood only a few feet away from me, a smile lighting his red eyes. I smiled back in astonishment and we both stood there awkwardly for a short moment. Finally, coming out of my surprised trance, I took a few steps towards him, opening my arms to embrace him. He looked faintly shocked for a second, before he stepped to meet me, his arms coming around me in an icy hug. He made to step back after only a short second but I clung to him a moment longer before I finally released my arms from around him.

"It's good to see you," I said, taking in his civilian clothes. He wore dark jeans, a loose fitted grey T-shirt and a black leather jacket over the top. Compared to his Volturi cloak, the clothes were downright casual.

"Indeed, I must admit to relief that you seem okay. You've been crying," Alec noted, nodding towards me.

"Oh… have I?" I mumbled awkwardly, brushing the backs of my hands furiously across my face. Sure enough, I felt moisture there, and I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"It's okay, I understand. You went to see him?" Alec asked, though it wasn't really a question.

I nodded mutely, my eyes dropping to the floor. There was silence for a few moments that he seemed content not to break, but I found it unbearable, so I spoke up.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad, but what are you doing here?" I asked, nodding in the direction of the house.

"I'm a nomad now, it seems. I thought I'd come and check on you. Well, I just came from checking on Cameron," Alec paused when he saw me cringe at the name. "We had a talk. Look, there's something I need to tell you," he continued, stopping me in my tracks before I'd barely taken a step towards the house.

"I told you he was dead for a reason."

"I _was _wondering about why you lied to me," I admitted, trying not to betray any curiosity in my voice.

"Do I even need to tell you why?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes!" I answered swiftly, confused why he thought I wouldn't want to satisfy my curiosity.

"Oh, for the love of God… You're as blind as he is," Alec remarked, a smirk appearing on his face.

I didn't appreciate the comparison, which must have showed on my face, because he stopped grinning pretty quickly.

"Renesmee, as your… friend?" he said the word tentatively, glancing at me in question. I smiled gently for a second, nodding at him, and he continued, "- I think I need to tell you something. When I told you he was dead, you ran to him. Instinctively, you _ran to him._ I think that tells us something, doesn't it?" Alec asked, nudging me jokingly with his elbow.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, turning away from him and glaring into the forest.

"I'd say the words, but I know you're not that stupid. You need to go to him, now."

"No I don't…. He-he promised me time," I stammered, the words tumbling out of my mouth in self defence.

"Well, from the look on his face when I left, when I told him what I just told you, I'd say that it's been long enough. You need to go to him, before-"

"Before _what_?" I interrupted wearily.

"Before he comes to you. I think in such a case as this, it would be in your favour to be pre-emptive about this. Go. I must speak with Carlisle anyway, I won't tell them where you went."

"I… Why are you doing this? Why wouldn't you tell them where I was going?" I asked the questions in quick succession, feeling my heart rate accelerate as I realised I was actually considering doing it.

"Because I'm not going to sit by and let you be miserable when there's such an obvious solution. And because you need to talk it out. It wouldn't be… prudent, shall we say, to have anyone bursting in on you. Now go," he practically ordered, pointing in the direction I had just come from.

I sighed loudly, my mind at war with itself again.

I wanted desperately to see him.

But at the same time, I also wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between us as I possibly could.

"Trust me. If he hurts you again, I'll rip his fucking arms off," Alec promised, his face even. He was not joking. I frowned, slightly unnerved by his sinister words, but he smiled gently to reassure me. His smile said yes, he was serious, but for some unfathomable reason, he had a good feeling about this and that he didn't think he'd have to follow through on his threat.

"Alright… I'll go," I finally conceded.

"Atta' girl," he said, patting the top of my head without condescension and giving me a gentle nudge.

I started walking, my legs trudging through the forest undergrowth at a set rhythm. Not necessarily slow, but I wasn't in a hurry, either. My eyes blurred with tears as I thought about was going to do, but I tried to blink them back. Crying would get me nowhere.

"Renesmee," I heard a voice up ahead. _His_ voice.

"C-Cameron," I returned, my voice unimpressively shaky. I looked up slowly, cautiously, and saw him standing there, about twenty feet away.

"I… I was just coming to see you. I know I said I'd give you time, but I…." he trailed off uncertainly.

"It's okay. I'm… I'm ready to talk now," I said, my voice weak and unconvincing.

"Please."

That one word broke me. He was in pain, that much was clear. And for whatever reason, he thought talking to me would relieve that pain. I imagined that the guilt of what he'd done was bearing down quite harshly on him, but I also knew that once he'd apologized, he'd be free of me. No more obligation to be near me.

Was that why I hadn't wanted to talk to him right away?

Was I trying to draw it out, painful as it was to have him near, simply because the alternative was no Cameron whatsoever?

I shook my head to myself, amazed at the depths of my own stupidity.

"Will you come with me?" he asked softly, making no attempt to close the distance between us. I nodded slowly, taking a few shaky steps forward. He turned and began to run ahead of me, obviously sensing I wasn't about to walk with him. I met his pace and followed several feet behind for about fifteen minutes before we were back by his mother's cottage.

He opened the door for me, stepping back to let me enter in front of him. I hesitated for a moment, unsure that the intimate little room would be the best place to talk, but then I noticed the storm clouds roiling in the sky and decided to just suck it up and enter.

I looked around the modest room, noticing how it was only slightly different to the last time I had been there. The pale coloured wood furniture and single bed were still the only features of note in the room, but now the place had a different feel. It felt lived in.

"H-how long have you been here?" I asked timidly, turning to face Cameron.

"Two days. I… I wanted to be closer to-" He cut himself off. "Never mind. Would you like to sit down?" he continued, nodding towards his bed. I frowned and shook my head, moving instead towards the simple wooden kitchen chair against one wall.

"Where's Carolina?" I asked after a few moments of silence, noticing her scent that lingered in the air.

"She's gone on ahead to find your Aunt Rosalie. I think you were right about them being related," he said, stepping over to the bed and sitting down, his eyes never leaving me.

"Oh. I see," I murmured, my eyes directly on the floor. Being so near to him, tears were misting in my eyes already. I couldn't do this. I could detect Alec's scent in the cottage and it made me clench my fist in frustration. Why had I let him talk me into this?

Just as I was about to suggest I come back another time, Cameron sighed loudly and sat slightly forward, apparently about to speak.

"I'm not really sure where to start… So much happened, and you know parts of it, but there's other things you need to hear, too," he began, his words uncertain, conflicted.

"Call me crazy, but I think you should start from the beginning," I suggested, my eyes lifting only briefly from the floor.

"Good idea." Cameron breathed in deeply, squaring his shoulders and shutting his eyes as if to concentrate, before he spoke. "My name is Cameron Alexander Vanderway. I was born nearly eighteen years ago in a cabin on the Oregon coastline. This cabin. I don't know my mother's name, nor her occupation. She died during childbirth. My father is one Alexander Vanderway, a vampire that currently resides somewhere in North Eastern Europe. The limited correspondence I've had with him has assured me that I will never come into contact with him again… by choice." He paused to let his words sink in.

Vanderway? Hadn't he told me his last name was Reid? And what was that about his father? I chose to file that information away for later, sensing that most of what he'd just said, whilst important to his life story, was not relevant to what he really wanted to explain to me. I nodded distractedly for him to continue.

"I grew up on my own, travelling across America, stealing food and sleeping on the road. I survived only because of the kindness of humans I found along the way. When I reached the age of seven and was full grown, about your age now, Zacharias found me. I became a part of his coven for the next nine and a half years, helping them to hunt humans, but never indulging in blood myself. One year ago, I found Carolina King on the side of a highway in North Dakota. You know her story already, so I'll skip ahead to the important part. Approximately three months ago, three members of the Volturi, Jane, Demetri and Felix, found one of our camps. Carolina and I were taken to Italy. There, Aro told me about a family of strong vampires."

"Us," I whispered, knowing that this was the most important part of his story.

"Yes. You, the Cullens, were what Aro wanted to talk to me about. I was told that Aro already had a plan to get the Cullens to come to him in Italy, but that he knew they would withhold one of their number, one who I would be sent to retrieve from America for him. I would do this in exchange for Carolina's life.

"So, knowing that if I didn't, Carolina would die, I came to Oregon, to the half vampire I would befriend and betray. This is where I fucked up… This is where I broke the rules and nearly ended up losing everything. The half vampire was not what I was expecting. She was beautiful, kind, gentle, and I enjoyed her company immensely."

I wasn't sure why Cameron had been telling the story the way he had, detached, as though examining his life the way an outsider might see it, but when he mentioned me, his voice changed. It went from detached and smooth to uncertain and quiet.

I shifted in my posture slightly, swallowing loudly.

"This girl was unlike any other I knew, she was special. Before I realised it… I began to see her differently. I didn't want to-"

"Stop," I interrupted, gripping my seat with anxious fingers.

"What?"

"I just… stop telling the story like you don't even care, like it didn't happen to you," I said, my voice quivering with emotion.

"I don't care? I _don't care_?" Cameron spoke incredulously. I looked up to meet his gaze and saw that his eyes were almost angry. He took a deep, calming breath, pulling on the ends of his hair and looking away from me. Without another word, he got to his feet and came to kneel before me on the floor. I went to shift away from him but he stopped me with a look.

"Tell me the rest. Like you mean it," I whispered quietly, wiping at one of my eyes were a tear had blossomed in the corner.

"When you were nearly hurt, when I had to _pry_ Kyle's hands away from you, that's when I began to realise just how much you meant to me. I realised that night that I was in love with you," he swore, his eyes burning intensely into mine.

"Wait… What?" I gasped, blinking rapidly a few times before narrowing my eyes in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'what'?" Cameron asked, his eyes betraying surprise at my reaction.

"But you didn't… _ don't _l-love me. You h-had to use me to save Carolina. You w-were pretending, and, and now you're sorry. That's why…. That's why I'm here," I stammered, feeling my breath hitch and my body start to tremble.

"Wait… You think that the only reason I'm apologizing is because I feel guilty? How could you possibly think that?" he demanded, his voice remaining surprisingly gentle despite his obvious shock.

"Jacob said, he said in Italy, when you rescued me from that place, he said that you were just doing it because you felt guilty," I rambled, fixing my eyes on my hands now clasped in my lap.

I refused to get my hopes up.

There was no way that he loved me. It was impossible. He felt guilty and was just trying to let me down easy. That was all.

"Well, he lied. I didn't rescue you from Volterra because I felt _guilty, _I did it because I lo-"

"Shhh. No. I can't… I can't be hearing this. Just keep telling your story," I said, unable to process anything except the word he'd almost said. When it didn't look like he was going to resume his story, I spoke, "Then the week before the Volturi came happened…" I filled in, my bottom lip between my teeth.

Looking bemused, his mind apparently still reeling with what I'd told him, he said, "And then there was Friday night, where we… Do you remember how I was reluctant to touch you?" he asked. I nodded softly. "It was because I didn't want to hurt you any more than I had to. I knew that if we slept together, you would just get hurt more in the end... But we did anyway, because I wasn't strong enough to stay away from you… And then Saturday came, along with Demetri. And that's where I betrayed you, where I hurt you," Cameron trailed off, his eyes downcast. I drew in another shaky breath, blinking furiously to hold in the tears that I could feel threatening to break free of my calm façade.

"When we got to Italy… You know what happened in Italy, God, it was a week ago. What you need to know is that, when I got there, I didn't know that Carolina had been turned. I thought I was still protecting my defenceless, human friend. I guess, if I'd known she had been turned and was capable of looking after herself, I don't know if my choice would have been the same…"

"What choice?" I asked, forcing myself to look up into his eyes.

"Between you and her. I…. cared about both of you, but at the time, she was a six year old human child and you were at least somewhat capable of handling yourself around the Volturi. I wanted to get her out of there first, take her to Zacharias where she could be protected, at least a little. Then I was going to come back for you and your family. Of course, your parents and the wolves kind of intervened and my plan got changed, but still, the intent was there. What you have to know is that I'm… I'm sosorry, Renesmee. I-"

"Shhh," I breathed, shutting my eyes and trying to rationalise it in my head.

He would have chosen me?

"No, I won't be quiet, because I need to say this. I'm sorry. I'm more sorry than you could possibly know, and I don't… I know you're probably not going to be able to ever forgive me for what I did. Please, just think about what I've said… You mean the world to me and it's- it's killing me. It's killing me to be away from you."

"I don't really know what to say, Cameron," I said honestly. "Every time I want to believe what you're saying, I think about what Alec and Jack told me-"

"What? Why would you listen to _Jack_?" Cameron demanded, his tone turning fierce for the first time in the conversation.

"Because he was _there_. He was one of the only people I talked to during the whole time I was there," I snapped, feeling the first touches of true fury kindle inside me.

"I don't care, he's an asshole," Cameron growled. His anger just made me angry. What right did he have to judge Jack after all that he himself had done?

"Yeah, well maybe it was nice for someone to be straight with me for a change. Maybe I liked him treating me like everyone else!"

That was a lie. The whole time I'd been terrified of Jack, or annoyed by him. Everything coming out of my mouth was a lie, but I couldn't seem to stop. I just wanted Cameron to hurt, too.

"You never treated me like you thought I could handle anything on my own. Everybody thinks I'm made of Goddamn glass!" I continued angrily.

"That's not true, at all," he argued back, abandoning his calm demeanour all together.

"Really?" I replied scathingly. The look in his eyes told me he really did mean what he said, but I had just got going. There was no stopping the words that came spewing out of my mouth in fury.

"I can't help but wonder if you ever cared for me at all, if I wasn't just someone for you to protect and look after while you were separated from Carolina. That's all I was to you, wasn't I? Just another person to take care of. You can't help it, it's in your nature to look after everyone. You couldn't possibly resist me, _poor, defenceless _Renesmee, all on her own!" I ranted bitterly.

Cameron growled and I saw his hand clench into a fist.

"You're always taking care of people. I was just another-another _child _to you!" I screamed at him, letting weeks' worth of anger tumble out of my mouth at once.

His steely blue eyes darkened for a moment and at first I was worried I really had pushed him too far. His hands suddenly cupped my face and I shut my eyes on instinct just as he pressed his lips firmly against mine.

I felt any resistance I had to him completely disappear as his tongue entered my mouth, a reunion that my body had craved so much it hurt. I remained perfectly still, sure that if I let myself get carried away then we would end up doing more than kissing. His mouth was hot and demanding against mine as one of his hands trailed down my back, pressing me completely against him. It felt like… like he was reclaiming a long lost part of himself, like he was tying me to him all over again. Just as I began to come to my senses and think with coherency, he released me, dropping his hands so suddenly I was left dazed. He was not smiling.

"Would I kiss a _child _like that? Was that _real_ enough for you, princess?" Cameron mocked sarcastically, his eyes narrowed in anger and frustration.

"I… what?" I mumbled, still overcome.

"You heard me. I've never treated you like you were incapable of anything. If I ever came across that way, then I apologize, but don't sit here and tell me what I feel. I love you, and that's never going to change," he swore, his eyes softening just barely at the end.

I sat perfectly still, letting his words sink in. Was I angry that he had kissed me like that? That he'd taunted me with his words just seconds after his great speech about how sorry he was and how much he wanted my forgiveness?

Damn straight I was.

But did I really want to start another fight? Did I _want _to stay angry at him when he so clearly wanted me? I frowned as I considered, my anger disappearing as I thought back on everything.

"How can you say that you love me when you let them lock me up and starve me? If Zach and Jacob and the others had been a few days later, Jack would've-"

"I know. Christ, I know… you don't think it hurt me, too?" Cameron interrupted, his tone now void of anger, too. "Imagine someone had asked you to choose between two people you loved? Imagine that you thought one was a human child, and one had half immortal genes and an entire family of strong vampires. I couldn't choose, so I left it up to survival… I thought that you had a greater chance of surviving there than she did… and I was wrong. They changed her… and it's all my fault," he said, voice growing quiet as he heaped the blame on himself.

"Carolina's change wasn't your fault," I whispered grudgingly, wanting to comfort him but knowing I really shouldn't. I didn't want to confuse what we were any more than I had to.

"I appreciate you saying that. But I know the truth. No," he interrupted me when I started to argue, "That's not why we're here… Are you… I mean, what are your thoughts on everything? On _us_?" he asked, his eyes wide and filled with despair.

"You really hurt me, you know," I whispered.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you," Cameron swore.

"I don't want to talk about Italy anymore. I know I can't just forget everything that happened, but I…" I took a deep breath, "I'm going to try. I'm back, my family's safe, and you…"

"I'm here," he whispered, taking my hand gently in his own.

"You are..."

"And I'll always be here."

"I… I want to believe you. I just don't want to hurt anymore," I whimpered, my voice crumbling completely. There was complete silence following my words and I looked up through blurry eyes to see Cameron staring at the ground. His hair fell around his face, hiding his expression from me, and I wanted to brush it aside to see what he was thinking, but I didn't dare.

"This is all my fault. I never wanted you to get hurt. I just… I wanted to… I just wanted to save you from that place. Every second in Italy I-" his voice broke off suddenly. I watched in surprise as a tear slipped from his cheek and fell to the floor at his feet. My heart sank even further with the knowledge that I was now causing him pain. He always seemed so strong, so held together….

To see his tears woke something up in me. Something I had been repressing during the whole conversation.

He hurt me.

But that didn't change the fact that I loved him.

Always had, always would.

"Every second we were there I just wanted to steal you away. To take you in my arms and never bring you back. I just wanted to spend the rest of forever with you," Cameron admitted, his eyes still drawn to the floor.

"Want-_ed_? As in… you don't want to anymore?" I asked timidly.

"What?" he asked, finally turning his head to face me. "Of course I still want to. I never want to be apart from you, ever again," he promised, that single tear still making his cheek glisten. I reached out tentatively and took his hand with my own, raising it to my face and pressing my lips gently against his palm.

"And I never want you to leave me again," I replied, letting a small, sad smile grace my lips.

"Never again," he pledged. "I promise to do everything I can to make sure you're never hurt again," he continued, drawing me close and pressing his lips to my cheek where I'd just realised there was moisture. He kissed my tears away and I felt my heart start beating again.

"I love you," he whispered, getting to his feet and pulling me with him. He drew me against him, holding both of my hands between us.

"I love you, too," I told him, smiling slightly.

"Oh God, I missed you so much," he told me in a hushed voice. Our eyes met and we shared a small smile, our foreheads touching just slightly, our noses brushing together softly. He closed the small distance, just barely brushing his lips against mine. Soft and sweet, just like our very first kiss.

"I missed you, too," I whispered against his lips.

"Renesmee!" A furious voice suddenly called from outside. It was one I recognized immediately.

My father.

"Forever?" I asked, pulling away from Cameron slightly, cringing a little as I sensed my father approach swiftly.

"Forever," he whispered back, pulling me back to him and cupping my face with both his hands before finally pressing a tender kiss against my lips. I kissed him back, forgetting about the world outside, feeling every part of me relax and fall even more in love with him with every second that passed.

**Ok. There we have it, they're back together. Happy?**

**Next chapter is the last one, folks. Just a warning, however, it will mostly be just tying a few pointless loose ends and FLUFF. If you don't care for that kind of thing, stop reading here.**

**To those of you that have voted for a sequel, (all 6 of you….) I'm sorry to disappoint, but I don't think it's going to happen. I have an idea, I've even written a little bit, but to be honest, it just doesn't feel worth it. Any and all updates would be like the last few have been for this one- very spaced out and random. I don't want to put anyone through that. **


	26. Chapter 26

Twilight is owned by Stephenie Meyer. Yes, it has been a long time. Here it is, the final chapter. I'm uploading 'chapter 27' as my final A/N, so check it out if you want to hear what I have to say just one last time. If not, enjoy. 

-Chapter 26-

**Renesmee POV**

To say that I was scared of what my father was going to say was a slight understatement.

I was terrified.

When the door crashed open loudly, Cameron and I sprang apart guiltily. I tried to instinctively step away, but Cameron's hand clasped tightly around mine and I held firm, placing one foot in front of his to shield him from my father as best I could.

Looking into Edward Cullen's face, I could honestly say I had never seen him that mad. I gulped, trying to gather my resolve for the argument I was sure that was about to take place.

"Renesmee. Cullen. Go home. Right now," my father growled, his dark amber eyes roving over me, most likely looking to see if I was hurt.

"Dad, I _am _home," I replied, though my voice was hardly convincing at all. I saw his eyebrow quirk in question and simultaneous anger. "C-Ca…," I paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "-Cameron is my home. I love him," I said, looking up into his grey-blue eyes and finding comfort there.

"Oh no you don't. This is not happening. Go home to your mother this instant, I'll deal with you later," my father snapped, glaring first at me, before directing his gaze over my shoulder at Cameron.

"You should go. I think I need to talk to your father," Cameron whispered into my ear.

I turned to face him, searching his eyes for a hint of fear. I found none. He looked slightly resigned, as though he had been waiting for something like this, and I furrowed my brow in confusion. He simply smiled, kissing the tip of my nose and giving me a gentle nudge towards the door.

"Daddy, if you hurt him, I'll never forgive you," I swore, meeting my Father's eyes as I walked past him to the door.

**Cameron POV**

"So, Mr. Cullen…. Sir," I began, my voice impressively even.

"_You_," Renesmee's father spat.

"Look, I know you must be concerned about why I lied to your daughter-"

"No, I know why. I could hear your 'heartfelt' apology on my way here. Your thoughts are loud. Mostly because they contain my daughter, I presume. I understand why you lied, I know that the two of you have made up…. What I want to talk about is what happened between the two of you before the Volturi came into the picture. That, and I want to know what your intentions are now."

I gulped, the noise loud in the silence. Renesmee's father smirked and gestured for me to sit down.

It was going to be a long discussion.

**Renesmee POV**

"Mom, what if Dad doesn't let me see him again?" I wailed as I entered the kitchen where my Mother was standing amongst the other members of my family.

"Renesmee," she said reproachfully, eyeing me in a way that told me she didn't particularly care for my over dramatics. I looked up from my feet at my surroundings and was surprised to find we weren't alone in the room as I had initially thought.

"Carolina?" I said, looking over at the small, familiar figure. She was perched on Aunt Rosalie's lap, her face alight with a bright smile.

"Pretty!" Carolina squealed, waving at me but making no move to leave.

"Cameron said you'd be here," I said, remembering how he'd mentioned she'd run off earlier.

"She came to find me," Rosalie spoke up, her voice equally surprised and joyous. "And look, Nessie. She's a King."

"Sorry, what?" I said, one of my eyebrows raising in confusion.

"A King. One of… one of Royce's descendants. His brother had a bastard son and I think… I think that maybe Carolina here is related to him, by blood at least," Rosalie explained, her eyes never once leaving the child's tiny face.

"That's what I thought," I replied, smiling. So I had been correct, all those weeks ago when I'd talked with Cameron about it. Cameron. My mind, momentarily distracted by what Rosalie had been saying, immediately snapped back into its state of anxiety.

"I'm sure he'll be fine honey, your father just wants to talk to him-" my mother began, but I interrupted her.

"I know, but what if they fight? What if Cameron says the wrong thing and Daddy gets upset?"

"Nessie…" Mom trailed off sympathetically.

"I only just got him back," I whispered, pleading with my eyes for her to help me. I saw her posture slump just slightly, an old human habit from a hazy, half forgotten life, as she walked towards me.

"Alright, let's go."

The two of us left the house, building up impressive speed as we raced back towards the cottage. I could only hope my mother would have higher opinion of Cameron than what my father seemed to. Their approval was important to me, but I couldn't decide if it was as important as Cameron himself…. Oh God, I thought to myself with horror. _What if they make me choose?_

I quickly dispelled that thought, deciding I would cross that bridge when and if I got there. We reached the cottage in less than ten minutes but stopped at the tree line to listen in on what was happening.

"It's alright, we're just talking, you can come in," I heard my father say, just loud enough for us to hear. My mother and I approached slowly, although I was beyond anxious to get back inside and be with Cameron again. I flung open the door and glanced first at Cameron to make sure he was still okay, before directing a steely glance at my father.

"Daddy, I can't believe you're really doing this. Interrogating my boyfriend? Really?" I demanded, trying to ignore the flutter that went through my chest when I said the word.

"He has been most sincerely remorseful of his actions where he hurt you, but what I want to know, _demand _to know, is what occurred while you two were here…. Alone," Edward said, his tone soothing and deceptively calm, although I knew my father well enough to know there was a temper smouldering beneath the surface.

"Now," Dad said, turning on the spot to look at Cameron across from me. "I understand that you have been… _seeing _my daughter for the past month."

"Yes sir," Cameron replied, looking a little anxious. Poor guy. I wanted to go and stand by him, maybe hold his hand, but I knew that wouldn't help his case.

"And during this time, what exactly did you do with her?" my father asked. I gasped at how direct he was being, feeling my cheeks flush.

"Mom! Block him, right now!" I begged, turning my head to face her and adopting a desperate pout. There was _no way in Hell_ that I wanted my Dad knowing what had passed between Cameron and I while they'd been gone.

A shotgun wedding would be the least of Cameron's problems.

If I were him, I would probably be worrying about retaining all major limbs and appendages.

"Sweetie, I already have. You know I wouldn't do that to you," my Mother whispered from beside me, squeezing my hand and smiling mischievously at me.

"Please. Tell me you didn't…" Dad begged, his voice coming out almost like a groan as he buried his face in his hands.

Cameron glanced over at me, his lips twitching just slightly. I bit my lip, also suppressing a smile at the memory of what had happened between us that night. I shouldn't have let myself get distracted, but before I could stop myself, my head was flashing back to the night where we'd finally given in.

"Goddamn it, Nessie. Your mother blocked _him_, not _you_!" Dad groaned, his eyes meeting mine in shock and what looked close to disgust. I gasped when I realized what he meant.

"Shit. Sorry," I apologized, blushing a furious shade of red and staring nervously at the ground. _Definitely _had not wanted anyone to know what I had been thinking about, least of all my father….

"You did _what_?" My mother breather, looking upset for the first time throughout the conversation.

"Look, Mom, we were… We're in love," I explained gently, risking a glance at Cameron. He smiled sincerely back at me and I couldn't resist going to stand by his side and taking his hand. We clasped hands at looked at my parents, trying to get them to understand. What we had was love, real love. Surely they would have to have known what that was like?

"Please Dad?" I whispered.

"I… No, he's…. he's too old for you!" My father announced, folding his arms and smirking as he obviously thought he'd won this round.

"Dad…. You're over a hundred and Mom's not even thirty." Check. Mate.

"I… I'm just not comfortable with this," Dad continued

"If I may," Cameron began, looking questioningly at my parents. "Your daughter, she… she's the best part of my life. She makes me happier than I've ever been and even just the thought that I could maybe make her happy too, well, it's what keeps me going. I love Renesmee more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person and, if you just give me a chance, I can show you that I will try so hard to be good enough for her. I can protect her, I can look after her, please, you just have to trust me," Cameron said. I bit my lip, fighting hard to keep my hands off him. When he said such beautiful things….

My father sighed loudly, turning to lock eyes with my mother. They were quiet for a few moments, my Mom's posture tensing just slightly as she no doubt removed her mental shield so that they could communicate silently.

"Alright, fine," my father agreed, although his turn remained curt and formal.

"Really, that's it? It's fine?" I asked, not convinced that it had really been that easy. A few heartfelt words had one over _my _father? _The _most overprotective father in the universe?

"No," Dad said, obviously in answer to my thoughts. "That's not why I'm… why I'm okay with this," he continued, gesturing to Cameron and I. "I'm okay with this because I realised that I can understand this boy of yours. I know what it's like to look into a pair of beautiful brown eyes and never want to look away."

"Aww, Dad," I murmured, stepping forward to embrace him and my mother.

"Get in here, Son," my Mom teased, gesturing Cameron over to join us. I felt him cover my back, holding me tightly and effectively sandwiching me between him and my parents.

My family.

Finally, complete.

* * * x * * *

**Just Over Two Years Later**

"Oh, hurry up, some of us are aging rapidly over here," I giggled, pulling Cameron along behind me with one hand through the excited crowd.

"Coming, dear," he joked, patting my hand good naturedly.

"Oy, shut up. Turning double digits does not make me a 'dear', okay?" I argued jokingly.

"Whatever you say, dear," Cameron replied, winking when I narrowed my eyes at him.

"It was your idea to come to this adventure park for my birthday, don't make me regret it," I threatened. I had to admit, however, I was enjoying myself an incredible amount. I hadn't been to an adventure park for years and experiencing it with the love of my life was certainly giving me new experiences. Having someone to hold your hand when you are forced to go on roller coasters is an indescribable comfort.

"Hey, how about this ride?" Cameron suggested, pulling me in the opposite direction we were heading in towards the log ride. I took a quick glance at the patrons exiting the ride, their drenched outfits and expressions, and quickly agreed. Water rides were always the most fun.

We waited in line for about ten minutes before we were finally let on. Cameron seemed fidgety, his eyes constantly roaming the crowd as we boarded the two-seater, plastic log and began the ride. I wrote it off to water-ride skittishness, heck, maybe it was something I could tease him about later. I immediately took the front seat, knowing that it would be the one where I would be exposed to the most watery fun.

Predictably slow moving until the final climb, I tried many times to engage Cameron in conversation throughout the ride, but all he offered were one word answers and replies, confusing me further. We finally reached the apex of the final peak and I felt a thrill run through my chest as I prepared for that stomach dropping, empty falling sensation. Just as we were about to topple downwards for the big splash, I spotted one of those cameras that take your photo while you're on the ride… And then sell it to you for $20 at the bottom.

Writing it off, I pulled my most terrified expression and then finally we fell. It was brief, lasting only a few seconds. I was correct in my assumption that the front seat would entitle me to most of the water, so I chuckled quietly to myself as I exited the ride.

"Oh man, that was so much fun. We need to go on that again later," I said, looking back to grin at Cameron before turning to find something else to do.

"Hey, wait, don't you want to go see our picture?" he asked, pulling me back to him.

"It's probably a terrible photo of me," I murmured, dropping his hand and heading to the kiosk ahead of him to where the screens were set up to show off the photos.

I waited behind a cluster of Asian tourists, pointing in interest at one of the photos I couldn't see over their heads. One of them turned and saw me and quickly shuffled herself and her friends out of the way. I stepped forward to see what they had been looking at and immediately directed my eyes to mine and Cameron's photograph.

I felt myself freeze, every bone in my body going limp as I took in what I saw.

Behind me, on our tiny log boat, was Cameron. He was staring straight at the camera with a nervous expression, holding in his hands a white piece of paper with dark red letters. It read, "Will you marry me?"

I felt all my breath leave me as I slowly spun on the spot. Cameron was down on one knee in the carnival dirt, a tiny, navy blue box perched in his palm, looking up at me with love and excitement in his eyes.

"Renesmee Cullen, will you marry me?" he asked simply, the nerves in his eyes only discernible because I knew his face like I knew my own. Knew him like I knew myself.

"Yes! Of course, yes!" I shrieked, launching myself at him as he straightened up. We wrapped our arms around each other and only when I felt the tears from my eyes dripping onto his neck did I hear the sound of applause surrounding us. I pulled back and Cameron took my shaking, left hand, sliding the most beautiful ring I had ever seen onto my finger.

"It's beautiful, I just can't believe this is happening… I mean it's been so long- I thought- you know- I thought maybe you didn't want to marry me, which is okay but-" I began rambling, my voice leaving me as a hysterical jumble of words.

"Shh, Nessie. I've wanted to marry you since the day your parents gave their blessing for our relationship. It was your father's condition that you be the same number of digits as me first, that's all," Cameron said, grasping my face between both of his hands and pressing a tender kiss on my mouth.

"I love you, so much," I swore to him, holding on as tightly as I could.

He held me tightly against him, swaying us gently from side to side as he replied. "And I love you, too. Forever."

**THE END**


	27. FINAL AN

It has been many months since my last update, for which I apologise, but I don't think I could have lived with myself writing an ending just for the sake of it. I had to wait until one came to me and until I had the time to write it out and do it justice. For the sake of you readers, I sincerely hope I have accomplished this.

To those of you who have stuck by me since day one, thank you. To those of you who joined us part way through, thank you for taking a chance on this story.

I began this story towards the end of the tenth grade (sophomore year). I quite literally am writing this in the evening after finishing my final, year 12 (senior) exam. I learned a lot during my time writing FanFiction. I believe, in a way, that this story has been a much needed creative outlet, although I must admit I was never very good at keeping to a schedule. The skills I learned and practice I got from writing has allowed me to top the English subject at my high school, so again thank you for letting me practice on you for my own ends! 10 500 hits have really been a boost in my confidence.

Thank you to everyone for your support, you've encouraged me to pursue writing as a career parallel to my studies to be a lawyer in the coming years. If I ever do get published, rest assured I will definitely make a shout out to my humble, Twilight FanFiction origins.

To anyone hoping for more, I'm afraid this is it for me on FanFiction. I'll be leaving this story up until I see fit to remove it, but I authorise any copies for domestic use. All copyright and intellectual property entitlements observed, this is really just a crazy, amateur story that I really have no right to- however- I do ask that no one plagiarises it.

And so with this, I must finally end the story of Renesmee and Cameron.

Best wishes, good luck in life and in love,

Sam


	28. A Proposition

**A Proposition**

Hi there!

I'm not sure if there is anyone left to actually read this, except maybe those of you with a lingering author/story alert (thank you, still flattered!), however, I have a proposition for you.

As you know, I am done with my Twilight fanfiction and still have no plans on revisiting it as yet. What I am considering, however, is an original work that has been lingering in the back of my mind for the past few months. I finally put pen to paper, or rather, hands to keyboard, the other day and have three short chapters.

My proposition is this: who would like me to post it here so that they can have a read of it?

It is completely unrelated to Twilight but I'd be interested in hearing your feedback so that I might see if it's worth continuing with. I'm at Law school currently and quite busy, but I find myself reluctant to hang up the aspiring author cloak just yet. If I got a positive response, who knows? Maybe I'd consider doing this thing for real.

Either review or message me your thoughts, hell, I will probably end up posting it regardless of feedback, but if you are interested please let me know.

Hoping you're all well!

Sam


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